1997 PESTICIDE TRAINING MEETINGS (ALL TIMES ARE LOCAL)

Remaining 1997 Commercial Pesticide Applicator Training and Testing Dates (Categories 1, 2a, 3, 4, 10, 12)

Categories 2a: 8:30 AM - 12:20 PM, Testing at 1:00 PM;
Cat. 3, 10. 12: 8:30 AM - Noon, Testing at 1:00 PM;
Cat. 1, 4, 10, 12: 9:45 AM - 2:00 PM,Testing at 2:00 PM

    December 22, 1997
    419 Reed Hall
    Morehead State University

    (Categories 3, 6, 10)
    November 20, 1997    1:00 - 4:15 PM
    Kentucky Urban and Community Forestry Conference
    Covington, KY

by William Nesmith

Planned disease management should be part of sound cropping systems. Fundamental to successful disease control in Kentucky's tobacco production is the need to use preventive measures, carried out in a timely manner with attention to details, rather than attempts to rescue the situation. Why? Because tools are not available to rescue tobacco crops from most diseases.

The following are some examples of common disease situations from the past season, in which the crop sustained serious losses, because errors in prevention had been made and little or no rescue option was available. This is not a complete list of the problems and is only given to serve as an example of the types of errors being made.

ERROR I: WRONG VARIETY FOR THE SITE

1. Fusarium wilt in crops planted to highly susceptible varieties.

2. Severe stunting from Black Root Rot (BRR) in crops planted to varieties with medium resistance to BRR, but planted on sites with a history of continuous tobacco.

3. Serious black shank pressure in crops of varieties with low-medium resistance to black shank, planted to sites with a history of many, continuous years of an L8 hybrid, with or without Ridomil.

4. Stunting and leaf burn from the virus complex in late crops planted to virus-susceptible varieties. Often the grower indicated that resistant varieties were not available from transplant supplies.

ERROR II: SETTING DISEASED TRANSPLANTS

1. Transplanted crop destroyed by bacterial soft rot (blackleg). Usually the transplants had been pushed with fertilizer prior to transplanting.

2. Heavy losses in transplanted crops from Pythium soft rot. Transplants had slimy roots when set in most cases.

3. High percentage of the crop was stunted early with mid- to late- season losses from soreshin or soreshin plus black shank. Soreshin and/or target spot active in transplants when they were set.

4. Systemic blue mold causing considerable stunting. Blue mold had been active in transplants.

5. Serious losses from soreshin when diseased seedlings were set into compacted soils or soils where cover crops were turned late.

ERROR III: LEAVING A SOURCE OF INOCULUM NEARBY

1. Many cases of serious outbreaks of blue mold in second and third greenhouse plantings under respectable spray programs, but the disease started in older plants being held by the greenhouse grower for someone that had not picked-up his/her plants on time. Note: This is a serious trap!

2. Blue mold causing extensive damage to the rows of tobacco nearest the old plant bed.

3. Late-set crops sustaining serious damage while earlier tobacco on the same farm not seriously damaged. Note: This issue is both an age-related and higher-inoculum issue.

4. Late crops damaged seriously from blue mold several weeks after the earlier crops had been harvested. Note: Many factors were involved here, but build-up of the fungus on sucker-regrowth played a significant role.

ERROR IV: POOR TIMING/APPLICATION OF PESTICIDE APPLICATIONS

1. Entire crop of transplants lost to blue mold; Dithane sprays were not started until after the grower found blue mold in the greenhouse, which was at least 15 days after the County Agent had issued a spray advisory for the county.

2. Serious loss of transplants to blue mold even though the grower was spraying Dithane and Acrobat MZ weekly. The County Agent found little evidence of fungicides within the canopy, but an abundance of fungicide was present on the top of foliage.

3. Major damage from black shank, on susceptible and resistant varieties, in fields with limited history of black shank. Ridomil was not used preplant in the 1997 season, but had been a routine part of the farming operation for over a decade, but mainly for blue mold control. Note: Many farmers greatly underestimated the value they had been receiving in black shank suppression from Ridomil used preplant or preplant plus layby for blue mold control. This was especially true on farms where the grower had shifted to black shank resistant varieties during the past decade for reasons other than black shank control.

4. Blue mold continued to cause extensive damage even though Acrobat MZ was being applied at labeled rates of fungicide. Our investigations indicated that in most such cases, poor coverage was being obtained because of poorly equipped sprayers, especially the lack of drop nozzles and very low pressure.

by Ric Bessin

Growers wanting to use Bt-corn hybrids for European and southwestern corn borer control must have a plan to manage the development of Bt resistance by these pests. This means that each grower using these new hybrids must have a plan. Currently, the only effective resistance management plan is to plant some acreage with non-Bt hybrids. Non-Bt acreage on each farm serves as a refuge allowing some Bt- susceptible corn borers to survive. Then if a rare resistant corn borer were able to survive on a Bt-corn plant, it would likely mate with a susceptible corn borer. Corn borers produced from this mating would still be susceptible, and not able to survive on the Bt-hybrids.

In order to develop a resistance management plan, there are several questions that need to be answered:

How much non-Bt corn must be planted in order to prevent resistance from developing? To answer this, the percentage of the acreage planted with Bt-corn needs to be decided. If a grower has had a history of corn borer losses, the grower may want to plant a large percentage of the available corn acreage with Bt-hybrids. However, in order to provide a sufficient refuge, most universities recommend that at least 20 to 30% of the total corn acreage on each farm must be planted with non-Bt hybrids. This means that the upper limit on any farm would be 70 to 80% of the corn acreage planted with Bt hybrids.

What type of planting arrangement should be used to provide refuge? Growers should plant the refuge as close as possible to the Bt corn. It can be planted in adjacent fields or as a block to one side of the Bt corn in the same field. Growers should not mix Bt and non-Bt seed, as this may encourage the more rapid development of resistance. Because corn borers do occasionally move from plant to plant, mixing seed may allow some individuals to escape receiving a lethal dose.

Some growers are considering using Bt corn in some of the planter boxes and non-Bt corn in the others to plant alternating strips through fields. This is not a good idea. Growers should not plant refuge strips in Bt corn fields. This fosters the development of resistance and makes management of these fields much more difficult. For example, if the non-Bt corn refuge reaches threshold for corn borer control, it would be impractical to treat the refuge with insecticides if it is planted as strips in a much larger field. It would also be a waste of money to spray the Bt corn for corn borer control. Additionally, growers may soon see some corn hybrids that have both corn borer control as well as herbicide tolerance (Liberty, Roundup, etc.). To avoid using the wrong herbicide on the wrong hybrid, growers should avoid planting these hybrids in strips.

When should the Bt corn and the refuge be planted? The refuge needs to be planted at the same time the Bt corn is planted. For example, if Bt corn is planted on three dates, each ten days apart, then refuges need to be planted on each of those planting dates as well. The refuge should be planted with hybrids that are agronomically similar to the Bt corn and planted as close to the Bt corn as possible. The refuges should receive the same fertility and irrigation inputs as the Bt corn. Reducing inputs and putting the refuge on marginal land may reduce its effectiveness.

Corn borers can attack corn planted at any time, but in most years the first generation damage is most severe in early planted corn and late planted corn is more severely damaged by second generation European corn borer and southwestern corn borer. So growers may want to select Bt corn for early or late plantings if they have had problems with corn borers in the past. Later plantings are also more likely to have economic infestations of fall armyworm and tip damage from corn earworm. Bt corn will reduce damage by corn earworm and fall armyworm by 40 to 60%. In some situations, Bt corn may still need to be sprayed to control fall armyworm.

by John Hartman

Prolonged springtime wet periods this past growing season resulted in high levels of rust diseases of several landscape trees. The rust diseases have complex life cycles, often involving more than one host plant.

Apple and Hawthorn Rusts Having Cedar or Juniper as Alternate Hosts

Three related rust diseases occur on landscape apple, hawthorn, and related trees, and on cedars and junipers in Kentucky:cedar-apple rust, cedar-hawthorn rust and cedar-quince rust. All three rusts are caused by different species of the fungus Gymnosporangium, each of which must spend a phase of its life cycle as a parasite on Juniperus species such as native red cedars or ornamental junipers, and another phase on roseaceous hosts such as apple and hawthorn.

In general, cedar rusts go through distinct growth stages on their different hosts. Beginning in springtime on the diseased cedar, usually in a gall, the fungus produces a highly visible bright orange telial stage, with teliospores. From the teliospores, microscopic basidia and basidiospores develop and are conveyed by air currents to the nearby apple, hawthorn, or related host where, during moist periods, they infect leaves, fruit, or twigs. Some weeks later, the fungus produces a fruiting structure called a pycnum with specialized spores which are important for sexual reproduction. In the same tissues, the fungus then develops an aecial stage with aeciospores. In summer, aeciospores carried by air currents then infect nearby cedars or junipers, the alternate host of the fungus. After about eighteen months in the cedar, the rust fungus life cycle finally returns, in the second springtime, to the orange telial stage.

Cedar apple rust (Gymnosporangium juniperi- virginianae) causes orange colored leaf spots and defoliation of crabapple, apple, and occasionally hawthorn. Yellow leaf spots appear in spring on the upper leaf surface and by late summer, the spots enlarge to the leaf underside, becoming more orange with whitish tubular spore-bearing structures (aecia). Cedar apple rust only occasionally affects twigs or fruit. On cedar and juniper, rust infections result in brown, spherical galls an inch or so in diameter, and sometimes twig dieback. Gall surfaces are marked by regular, circular depressions. In springtime, galls become bright orange with spore horns of the fungus.

Cedar-hawthorn rust (G. globosum) appears on hawthorn, crabapple, apple, pear, quince, serviceberry, and mountain ash. Leaf spots are similar in appearance to cedar-apple rust, but few of the tubular aecia form within them. Cedar-hawthorn rust occasionally affects twigs and fruits of their hosts. On red cedars and several landscape junipers, galls produced by cedar-hawthorn rust are similar in appearance to those of cedar-apple rust, but are smaller, more irregular in shape and do not develop the regular arrangement of circular depressions. Spore horns, too, are shorter, generally fewer in number and are wedge or club-shaped.

Cedar-quince rust (G. clavipes) is the most damaging of the cedar rusts and it affects many hosts including hawthorn, crabapple, apple, serviceberry, mountain ash, quince, flowering quince, pear, photinia, medlar, chokeberry, and cotoneaster. Cedar-quince rust normally does not cause leaf spots, but twig and fruit infections are common and sometimes damaging. Young, green hawthorn and crabapple twigs and thorns infected by the cedar-quince rust fungus can become swollen, cankered, and die. Most cedar-quince rust infected fruits are enlarged with protruding white, tubular aecia emerging from them. Infected apple fruits develop a corky texture. Cedar-quince rust also affects cedars and junipers but it does not form rounded galls. Instead, this rust forms perennial, spindle-shaped swellings on the twigs, upon which a gelatinous orange mass of spore horns is borne in the spring.

Disease management

1) Grow resistant apples crabapples, hawthorn, mountain ash or junipers. Lists of some of these rust-resistant plants are available in U.K. publications, ID-88, "Woody Plant Disease Control Guide for Kentucky" and ID-93, "Midwest Tree Fruit Handbook".
2) Destroy nearby wild, abandoned or worthless apples, crabapples, cedars or junipers. When practical, prune out and destroy rust galls found on ornamental junipers and cedars. Although landscape plants may occasionally become infected by spores produced up to several miles away, most infections result from spores produced on infected Juniperus within a few hundred feet of the landscape.
3) Follow a recommended fungicide control program such as that found in ID-21, "Disease and Insect Control Program for Home Grown Fruit in Kentucky" or ID-88, available through local county Extension offices.

Pine Rust Diseases

In some circumstances, rust diseases can be very destructive to pines in Kentucky. Pine rust diseases are found more commonly in forest than in landscape environments. Like most rusts, pine rusts have alternate host plants, dicots such as oaks, currants, and asters. Often, these dicots are little damaged by the rust disease they host.

In general, pine rusts go through distinct growth stages on their different hosts. Beginning on the diseased dicot host plant, the fungus produces a telial stage with teliospores. From the teliospores, basidia and basidiospores develop and are conveyed by air currents to the nearby pine. Some weeks, months, or years after infecting the pine, the fungus produces spermagonia and specialized spores called spermatia which are important for sexual reproduction. Still in the pine, the fungus then develops an aecial stage with aeciospores. This stage is sometimes characterized by swelling of affected pine tissues. Aeciospores carried by air currents then infect the nearby alternate host plant. On the dicot, uredia and urediospores which can reinfect the dicot are produced before the rust fungus life cycle finally returns to the telial stage.

Pine Needle Rust (Coleosporium asterum) affects Austrian, Japanese black, jack, loblolly, longleaf, mugo, pitch, red, Scots, shortleaf, and Virginia pines. Needle rust is not as destructive as some of the other rusts. The life cycle of this fungus takes 1 year. Alternate hosts include aster, goldenrod, and other composites.

Eastern Gall Rust (Cronartium quercuum) affects Austrian, jack, loblolly, mugo, pitch, red, Scots, shortleaf, and Virginia pines. When a stem or branch is infected with the fungus, it typically produces a spherical swelling and kills the stem or branch and all distal branches within a few years. The life cycle of this fungus takes two years or longer. Alternate hosts include many oak species.

Western Gall Rust (Endocronartium harknessii) affects Austrian, jack, mugo, and Scots pines, with symptoms similar to those of eastern gall rust. There are no alternate hosts; the fungus lives its entire life on pine, becoming reinfected by aeciospores produced on pine.

Fusiform Rust (Cronartium quercuum f. sp. fusiforme) affects Austrian, loblolly, and longleaf pines. The disease is very destructive, causing swollen cankers on the affected stems and branches. In Kentucky, it is only found in some of the southern counties. The two-year or longer life cycle of this rust also has many oak species as alternate hosts.

White Pine Blister Rust (Cronartium ribicola) affects eastern white pine producing girdling cankers which are very destructive. Although the alternate hosts, currant, gooseberry, and other Ribes spp. grow in Kentucky, the disease is not very common here. Where it is common, regulations prohibit the growing of the alternate hosts near white pine.

Disease Management

1) Avoid growing pines near alternate hosts, or remove the alternate hosts, if possible.
2) Remove and destroy pine galls, or if necessary, trees with galls to break the disease cycle.

THERE'S A HOLE IN MY SWEATER!

by Mike Potter

With the onset of cold weather, clients will be calling about "bugs" infesting their clothing and other items unpacked from storage. These are probably clothes moths or carpet beetles. Besides damaging fabric, these insects will feed on any item composed of animal fibers, i.e., wool, fur, silk, feathers, felt and leather. Items commonly infested include wool sweaters, coats, blankets, carpets, down pillows and comforters, upholstered furniture, toys and animal trophies. Synthetic fabrics such as polyester and rayon are rarely attacked unless blended with wool, or if they are heavily soiled with food stains or body oils. Serious infestations of clothes moths and carpet beetles can develop undetected in a home, often causing irreparable damage to clothing, bedding, rugs, and other articles.

THE CULPRITS

Carpet beetles - Developing larvae are about 1/8 to 1/4- inch long, tan to brownish in coloration, and densely covered with hairs or bristles. This is the life stage likely to be encountered now, since only the larvae feed on fabrics and cause damage. The adults feed primarily on flowers and are usually discovered indoors during the spring. Adult carpet beetles are very small (1/16 to 1/8- inch), oval-shaped beetles, ranging in color from black- to various patterns of white, brown, yellow and orange. Large numbers may be spotted around light fixtures and windows, indicating that an infestation is present somewhere within the home.

Clothes moths- Clothes moths are small (1/2-inch), buff-colored moths with narrow wings fringed with hairs. Like carpet beetles, they damage fabric only in the larval stage. Adult clothes moths are seldom seen because they avoid light, preferring to hide in dark places such as the backs of closets. Clients who report seeing tiny moths in the kitchen and other well-lighted areas are probably seeing grain moths originating from stored foods, e.g., cereal, dried fruit, nuts, or pet food. The larvae of clothes moths spin silken feeding tubes or patches of webbing as they move about on the surface of fabrics. They also deposit tiny fecal pellets similar in color to the fabric.

THE SOLUTION

Current infestations- Controlling an existing fabric pest problem requires diligence and a thorough inspection to locate all infested items and areas of infestation. The source may be an old woolen scarf at the back of a closet, a fur hat in a box, an unused remnant of wool carpeting, or an abandoned bird or squirrel nest up in the attic. Larvae prefer to feed in dark, undisturbed areas where susceptible items are stored for long periods. Larvae also may be found living beneath the edges of carpeting (pull up the tack strip along the baseboard to inspect), underneath and within upholstered furniture, or inside heat ducts and floor vents, feeding on accumulations of lint, pet hair and other bits of debris. Occasionally, infestations may originate from bird or animal nests or carcasses present in an attic, chimney or wall void. Carpet beetles, in particular, will also feed on pet food, bird seed, and cereal products associated with the kitchen or pantry.

Infested items should be laundered, drycleaned or thrown out. Laundering (hot cycle) or drycleaning kills any eggs or larvae that may be present.

Vacuuming floors, carpets, and heating vents effectively removes larvae as well as hair and lint which could support future infestations. Be sure to vacuum the edges of carpets, along baseboards, underneath furniture and stored items, and inside closets and "quiet" areas where carpet beetles and clothes moths prefer to feed.

Insecticides applied to infested areas may be helpful as a supplement to good housekeeping. Products containing active ingredients labeled for flea control (e.g., permethrin) are effective. Sprays may be applied to carpets (especially along and beneath edges adjacent to baseboards), underneath furniture, and other likely areas of infestation where prolonged contact with humans is unlikely. Clothing and bedding should not be sprayed with household insecticides and should be removed before treatment.

Avoiding future problems- The best way to avoid future problems with fabric pests is through prevention. Woolens and other susceptible fabrics should be drycleaned or laundered before being stored for long periods. Cleaning kills any eggs or larvae that may be present and also removes perspiration odors that are attractive to the pests. Articles to be stored should then be packed in tight-fitting containers with moth balls or flakes containing paradichlorobenzene (PDB) or naphthalene. The vapors from these materials are only effective if maintained at sufficient concentrations. Effective concentrations can best be achieved by sealing susceptible items (with the manufacturers' recommended dosage of moth crystals) in large plastic bags, and then storing the bagged articles in tight-fitting trunks, boxes or chests. Contrary to popular belief, cedar closets or chests are seldom effective by themselves because the seal is insufficient to maintain lethal or repellent concentrations of the volatile oil of cedar.

Conventional household insecticides should not be used to treat clothing; however, mothproofing solutions may be applied to susceptible clothing by professional dry cleaners. Valuable garments such as furs can also be protected from these pests by storing them in cold vaults -- a service offered by some furriers and department stores.

Additional tips on fabric pest prevention, control, and repair of damage can be found in the publication IP-50, Fabric Insect Pests. Elimination of widespread, persistent infestations of carpet beetles and clothes moths in a home or commercial establishment may require the services of a professional pest control operator.

by Monte P. Johnson

Responding to requests from workers and growers, EPA is proposing two changes to the Worker Protection Standard (WPS) for agricultural pesticides: to allow pesticide handlers and field workers entering pesticide-treated areas to wear separable, disposable, glove liners made from absorbent materials under their chemical-resistant gloves; and to delete the requirement that pilots wear chemical-resistant gloves when entering or exiting aircraft used to apply pesticides. EPA has been made aware that in hot and cold weather, unlined chemical-resistant gloves are causing severe discomfort and dermal health problems for agricultural workers. As a result, workers are not always wearing the required chemical-resistant gloves. EPA believes that the risk to workers from not wearing protective gloves is greater than wearing protective gloves with disposable absorbent liners that are regularly replaced. (EPA Press Release, Sept. 22, 1997)

OHIO MAN SENTENCED IN PESTICIDE CASE

by Monte P. Johnson

Lutellis Kilgore of Elyria, Ohio, was sentenced to 37 months in prison and two years of supervised release on Sept. 8, 1997 in United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio in Cleveland. As part of his plea, Kilgore admitted to violating the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act by illegally applying the insecticide methyl parathion to over 60 properties in Lorain and Elyria, Ohio. He is not a certified methyl parathion applicator. Methyl parathion is toxic to the nervous system and is only approved for outdoor agricultural usage. When applied indoors, methyl parathion does not readily degrade and exposure to it can cause vomiting, headache, diarrhea and even death in humans. Kilgore's actions led to a $20 million publicly-funded cleanup of the affected residences in Lorain and Elyria, conducted by EPA, the Ohio Department of Agriculture and the Health Departments of the cities of Lorain and Elyria. The case was investigated by EPA's Criminal Investigation Division. (EPA Press Release, Sept. 22, 1997)

WHITE HOUSE UNVEILS NONPROFIT WEBSITE

by Monte P. Johnson

On Tuesday, Sept. 16, 1997,Vice President Al Gore announced a new website, the Nonprofit Gateway, created for nonprofit groups to access federal information. EPA is one of 15 federal agencies that have created nonprofit pages that link to the central website. Information is available on topics such as loans and grants, federal register notices, community right to know, pollution prevention and partnerships. The website (www.nonprofit.gov) is the result of a year-long partnership between federal agencies and departments and hundreds of nonprofit groups. EPA's website can be located at http://www. epa.gov/epahome/nonprof.htm. (EPA Press Release, Sept. 22, 1997)

DIENOCHLOR (PENTAC) TO BE CANCELED

by Monte P. Johnson

Novartis Crop Protection has proposed cancellation of all the registered uses of their miticide, dienochlor (Pentac), due to the cost of reregistration. The registered uses include NUT TREES (nonbearing), FRUIT TREES (nonbearing), and a wide variety of ORNAMENTAL HERBACEOUS and WOODY plants. They are willing to consider any offers to purchase this product or support its registration. For additional information contact: Mr. Chuck Buffington, Novartis Turf and Ornamentals, Phone 910-632-2513, Fax 910-632-2653, chuck.buffington@cp.novartis.com (Reregistration Notification Network, USDA, Oct. 24, 1997)

THIOPHANATE-METHYL (TOPSIN M) USE DELETION OF CELERY

by Monte P. Johnson

Elf Atochem plans to delete CELERY from their label of the fungicide, thiophanate-methyl, due to economic considerations. They plan to continue to support the other registered uses of thiophanate-methyl during reregistration. The following is the current registration status of thiophanate-methyl: REGISTERED USES SUPPORTED by Elf Atochem which are expected to be REREGISTERED: ALMONDS, APPLES, APRICOTS, BEANS, CHERRIES, CONIFER PLANTINGS, CUCUMBERS, MELONS, NECTARINES, ONIONS, ORNAMENTALS (herbaceous and woody), PEACHES, PEANUTS, PECANS, PLUMS, POTATOES, PRUNES, PUMPKINS, SOYBEANS, SQUASH, STRAWBERRIES, SUGAR BEETS, TURF, and WHEAT. For additional information contact: Ms. Rebecca Clemmer, Elf Atochem North, America, Phone 215-419-7667; Fax 215-419-7243. (Reregistration Notification Network, USDA, Oct. 24, 1997)

VINCLOZOLIN (RONILAN, ORNALIN) USE DELETIONS AND TOLERANCE REVOCATIONS

by Monte P. Johnson

BASF has requested and USEPA has accepted the deletion of several uses from the labels of their fungicide, vinclozolin (Ronilan, Ornalin). The uses to be deleted are GRAPES, PLUMS, PRUNES, TOMATOES, and ORNAMENTAL TURF (noncommercial uses). BASF has requested these deletions in order to obtain a new registration for SUCCULENT BEANS. Without these deletions, the USEPA found the aggregate dietary risk from exposure to vinclozolin was too great to allow a new registration on succulent beans. Vinclozolin has been identified by the USEPA as an endocrine disruptor. Reregistration is expected to end in 1998, but the current registration situation is: REGISTERED USES SUPPORTED by BASF which are expected to be REREGISTERED: APRICOTS, BEANS(SUCCULENT), CHERRIES, CHICORY (SLN in CA), CUCUMBERS (import tolerance only), ENDIVE (SLN in CA,NC,SC), GRAPES(WINE) (import tolerance only), KIWI (SLN in CA,SC), LETTUCE, NECTARINES, ONIONS, ORNAMENTALS(HERBACEOUS & WOODY), PEACHES, PEPPERS (import tolerance only), RASPBERRIES, STONE FRUIT, STRAWBERRIES, and TURF(ORNAMENTAL)(for commercial uses). REGISTERED USES UNSUPPORTED and expected to be DELETED: GRAPES (other than wine grapes for import), PLUMS, PRUNES, REDWOOD (forest), TOMATOES, and TURF(ORNAMENTAL)(for noncommercial uses). *SLN = Special Local Need or 24(c) in the indicated state(s) For product information: Dr. Abe Tobia, BASF Corporation, Phone 919-547-2972; Fax 919-547-2880; tobiaa@basf.com; For regulatory information: Mr. Mark Wilhite, EPA, Special Review Branch, PHONE 703-308-8586; FAX 703-308-8041; wilhite.mark@epamail.epa.gov (Reregistration Notification Network, USDA, Oct. 24, 1997)

NEW SLIDE SHOW FOR THE USDA FEDERAL RECORDKEEPING PROGRAM

by Monte P. Johnson

A new slide program for the USDA Federal Recordkeeping Program may be available for use in pesticide certification training programs. The slide show covers the requirements of the regulations and it written specifically for certified private applicators. Please contact Jeff Haynes at 703-330 -7826 or via E-mail address, jeffery_s_haynes@usda.gov for ordering information.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE 1997 RINSE AND RETURN PROGRAM

by Monte P. Johnson

According to the Division of Pesticides, the figures for 1997's Rinse and Return Program for recycling plastic pesticide containers indicate another very successful year. Eighty-seven counties (almost 3/4 of the counties in Kentucky) participated in the program. An estimated 95,650 pounds of plastic chips were collected, up 2.3% from last year. This translates into approximately 155,300 pesticide containers being collected and recycled. (Division of Pesticides, Oct. 16, 1997)

REDUCED-RISK PESTICIDES REGISTERED

by Monte P. Johnson

Since July, 1993, applicants have sent thirty-nine new chemical or new use submissions to EPA's Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP) for consideration as reduced-risk pesticides. Of the thirty-nine, twenty-two have been accepted by OPP as reduced-risk candidates; and sixteen have been rejected. Of the twenty-two accepted, fourteen have been registered. The following is a list of the registered pesticides by accepted common names (if available) and their trade name (in parenthesis): hexaflumuron (Recruit) - below ground termiticide; flumiclorac-pentyl (Resource) - herbicide; methyl anthranilate (Rejex-It) - bird repellent; tebufenozide (Confirm) - insecticide; hymexazol (Tachigaren) - fungicide; fludioxonil (Maxim) - fungicide; (Cadre) - herbicide; (Mefenoxam) - fungicide; spinosad (Spinosad) - insecticide; azoxystrobin (Heritage) - turf fungicide; alpha-metolachlor (CGA 77102) - herbicide; hexaflumuron (Recruit) - above ground termiticide; imazamox (Raptor) - herbicide; azoxystrobin (Heritage) - fungicide on fruits, etc. (EPA Pesticide Registration Notice 97-3, Sept. 4, 1997)

CONSUMER ACCESS NUMBERS ON PESTICIDE LABELS

by Monte P. Johnson

In 1996, the EPA began a Consumer Labeling Initiative (CLI) that promoted improvements in product labeling, especially concerning pesticides. Consumer interviews indicated a desire for telephone numbers on labels to access product and safety information. Consequently, the EPA encourages pesticide registrants to include a company telephone number or toll-free hotline number on the label. Other suggested contact information included the National Pesticide Telecommunications Network number (1-800-858-7378), Internet Homepage addresses, and adverse effects information. (EPA Pesticide Registration Notice 97-4, September, 1997)

PESTICIDE COMMON NAME USAGE EXPANDED

by Monte P. Johnson

The EPA has announced a policy to expand the use of common names on pesticide labeling. Chemicals, including pesticide ingredients, have scientific names based upon their chemical structure. In many instances, these names are long, complicated and understandable only by those with a scientific or technical background. Historically, some chemicals have been identified by shorter, acronym-like names, often based upon combinations of the chemical name or chemical family to which the chemical belongs. These are called "common names" and are widely used in lieu of the chemical names. EPA encourages the development of common names and will permit the use of approved ones by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) in the label ingredients statement without the accompanying scientific chemical names. The EPA also recommends the inclusion on labels of Chemical Abstract Service (CAS) numbers to identify ingredients definitively. (EPA Pesticide Registration Notice 97-5, September, 1997)

EPA RECOMMENDS CHANGING "INERT INGREDIENTS" TO "OTHER INGREDIENTS"

by Monte P. Johnson

Most "inert" ingredients are not known to pose health or environmental concerns; however, the EPA has long known and acknowledged that some inert ingredients are not benign to human health or the environment. The "inert" ingredients in some products may be more toxic or pose greater risks than the active ingredient. Since, 1987, EPA has been actively evaluating new and existing inert ingredients for their toxicity before allowing their use in pesticide products. Consequently, the EPA recommends that the phrase "Inert ingredients" may be replaced by the term "Other ingredients." Although no registrant is required to make this change, EPA encourages registrants to do so. (EPA Pesticide Registration Notice 97-6, September, 1997)

EPA MAKES DRINKING WATER DATA AVAILABLE TO PUBLIC

by Monte P. Johnson

The EPA is making drinking water data available to the public on the Internet at: http://www.epa.gov/ enviro . The public can get information on the source of their local drinking water, the size of the drinking water system and compliance data. The data is available under an EPA website called Envirofacts. (EPA Press Release, October 14, 1997)

by Julie Beale and Paul Bachi

Recent diagnostic lab samples have been mostly ornamentals, including: Root rot on caladium, Botrytis grey mold on geranium, anthracnose on lily-turf; nutritional problems on poinsettia; Pythium root rot on poinsettia-- particularly severe in some greenhouses; brown patch on fescue; brown spot (Mycosphaerella) on pine; leaf spot (Cercopsora) on mulberry; leaf spot (Coccomyces) on cherry; drought stress on maple and spruce; and Leucostoma canker and spider mite damage on blue spruce.

We have also seen a case of Cladosporium leaf mold and late blight on greenhouse tomatoes. These fungal diseases are favored by high humidity in the greenhouse environment.