John Wood, Certis USA Regional Manager-Southern CA, Central Valley, Desert

May 3, 2017

2 Min Read

Q. We’re applying out Bt sprays right now!

A. In the past, I’ve talked about using Bts to control peach twig borer, because of their many benefits. Since many of you are using Bts right now, I thought I’d give you the specifics about Deliver®, one of the Certis USA Bts I recommend for peach twig borer.

Deliver is based on Bt subspecies kurstaki. It is formulated with a higher concentration of Cry1Ac proteins than the average Bt. Cry1Ac is the most broadly active of the dozens of natural Bt insecticidal crystal proteins (ICPs) that have been identified. Deliver contains more of this ICP than other Bt products. This results in higher potency and better control of peach twig borer. With 1.5 to 5 times the potency of other Bts, Deliver offers more control power on a pound-for-pound basis. So one container of Deliver covers more area than conventional Bts. This translates to lower application and storage/handling costs.

Deliver is a larvicide. It is only effective against the larval stages of PTB. Bt spray deposits must be present on the plant surface when larvae are actively feeding and will ingest the Bt. As with every biological insecticide, coverage is key for effective pest control. The superior wettable granular formulation of Deliver provides uniform dispersion of Bt in spray droplets and facilitates better spreading and sticking. The result is maximum coverage and pest ingestion.

Recommended rates for application vary from 0.25 to 2.0 lbs. per acre. Use lower rates when infestations are light. Proper timing and good coverage are crucial with all biological insecticides and applications should be closely monitored.

Deliver can be tank-mixed with fungicide sprays at this time. In the case of peach twig borer, apply two bracketed sprays of Deliver at 7- to 14-day intervals during critical popcorn and petal fall periods. For all pests, apply early while larvae are small.

As always, consult the Deliver label for complete application information.

About the Author(s)

John Wood

Certis USA Regional Manager-Southern CA, Central Valley, Desert

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