Evaluation of Merit and Tempo as a Preventative Treatment to Control Black Cutworm (Bcw) on Golf Course Greens, Wv, 1995

Merit 75W and Tempo 20W were compared as side by side treatments on whole greens with ½ half of a green being a replicate of each treatment. Treatments were applied 23 May, replicated 4 times; there was no untreated control. Compounds were applied with a Cushman Turfmaster 125 sprayer and watered in with the same sprayer at 120 gal/acre. Water pH was 8.33. Environmental conditions at start (8:35 am) and finish (11:30 am) of treatment applications were, respectively: air temperature, 23.5°C and 32.5°C; RH, 43% and 54%; sky clear; soil temperature (surface), 25.5°C and 33.5°C, (1 inch) 25.5°C and 29°C; soil very moist. Efficacy was evaluated on 31 Jul (69 DAT) by treating entire greens with Tempo 2 at the rate of 0.04 lb (AI)/acre, syringing the green 8-10 min and counting the no. of cutworms flushed to the surface in a sample area of 4 m2. Two areas were sampled on each treated half of each green. Within these sample areas, the no. of obvious cutworm feeding holes were also counted.