Almonds, pistachios and walnuts are expected to soon be added to the label for DuPont's new Altacor pesticide product.

Independent California pest control advisers (PCAs) were also told at a meeting in Monterey, Calif., that plans are on the table for an even wider array of registrations for DuPont's Coragen and Altacor, both branded products with the new active ingredient, Rynazypyr, according to area sales manager Mike Hemman.

The Fresno, Calif., based Hemman told about 50 key (PCAs) that the new tree nut crop label is expected by July.

This new label will authorize the use of Altacor at rates of 3.0 to 4.5 ounces per acre for a wide array of pest including codling moth in walnuts and Navel orangeworm in pistachios and almonds with a pre-harvest interval of 10 days.

DuPont also is expecting in November a long list of new crop approvals for both Coragen and Altacor under a “super crops” EPA admission covering crops considered specialty crops important to California agriculture. This label, generated under the IR-4 program, will include field and sweet corn, strawberries, citrus, pomegranates, figs and avocados, among other crops.

PCAs also learned that the company is expecting a shank-application at planting label for Coragen at use in vegetables. Wayne Steele, DuPont research and development, says this application provides 30 days of residual control for early season worm control. There is minimal movement of Coragen in the soil, making this application method environmentally safe.

Coragen/Altacor/Rynaxpyr represent a new class of chemistry, the antharanilic diamides, which control almost all economically important Lepidoptera and selected other species.

With this new class, growers and PCAs are finding it an excellent fit in insecticide resistance management program

It has proven effective in foliar and systemic applications. It is also translaminar, which means it translocates from the top to the bottom of the leaf when applied as a foliar.

Hemman told the PCAs that there was a “huge demand” for product worldwide last year and that limited availability in California where it was registered last year.

“Supplies will be better than last year, but they could still be tight for 2009,” told Hemman.

For more details about Coragen and Altacor and how to use them in overall pest management programs, two online continuing education courses are available via the Western Farm Press Web site (www.westernfarmpress.com).

These two courses are accredited for continuing education hours by the California Department of Pesticide Regulation and the Arizona Department of Agriculture.

All DPR and ADA agricultural licensees can earn continuing education credit by completing the courses online. The courses are free, sponsored by DuPont.

The Coragen courses focuses on pest management in vegetable crops while the Altacor focuses on pest management in pome and stone fruit using this new mode of action.