Protect your vines. Act in the “off” season, while cicadas are busy.
Increased cicada activity is already being reported, according to Pieter Van Der Westhuizen, Adjuvant Lead and Regional Sales Manager Upper North Island for UPL NZ Ltd.
Pieter says growers are noticing cicadas singing earlier than usual, with higher numbers being observed in kiwifruit orchards.
The largest and noisiest of the species, chorus cicadas Amphipsalta zelandica, lay eggs in kiwifruit canes creating a weakness at tiedown and creating brittleness in the canes. That leads to damage and potential production loss. Pieter says wounds on canes can also provide entry points for PSA.
Dense kiwifruit canopies are an ideal environment for cicadas. There are few predators, and there is ample shelter. The soil beneath the vines also provides the ideal home for the larval form of the pest for 2 to 4 years. “It’s the perfect environment.”
Getting ahead is key
Pieter says it’s best for growers to get ahead of the pest. “Recently, growers have become a bit relaxed about the cicada threat. What you can use for control in the growing season is very limited too, so, it you get to that point it’s going to be a bit late. To control cicadas, winter is the time.”
Pieter recommends the combination of Assail® insecticide together with Engulf® super penetrant applied after leaf fall but before pruning. A versatile insecticide, Assail has a broad spectrum of activity controlling a range of chewing and sucking insects and is effective against cicadas. Assail kills the pests through both contact and ingestion. As it is not systemic, coverage of the vines is critical.
Engulf is it’s a perfect partner. The adjuvant distributes the active in even difficult to reach areas. Pieter says it’s ideal for reaching nooks and crannies and penetrating woody kiwifruit vines. “It’s the only adjuvant that can do that.”
The cicadas’ life cycle (which includes larvae being underground for multiple years) means populations can build-up rapidly, completely undetected. Cicada eggs usually hatch in early to mid-summer, 3-10 months after being deposited. Post-hatching, larvae burrow into the ground and feed on roots, turning to the kiwifruit vine sap when they emerge as adults.
Pieter says cicadas can also contribute to making a less-than-ideal environment for orchard workers. “You’ve got the constant noise and the cicadas flying around your face. A lot of people find that intensely annoying and distracting.”
“Assail gives you the control of the insects and Engulf makes sure delivery is efficient, and you get the most out of your spray programme which is so important when everyone is conscious of the cost of fuel and labour.” Pieter says precision timing and use of sprays is key to getting good control.
Assail is also a three-in-one solution, controlling cicadas, passionvine hopper (Scolypopa australis) and armoured scale insects. All of which can be contribute to significant production loss. Passionvine hoppers feeding results in the production of honeydew, a sugary residue which creates the ideal environment for sooty mould, which can result in fruit being downgraded. Any scale insects present on the fruit at harvest are classified as quarantine pests and mean fruit can’t be exported.
