A farmer who spread pesticide across a field and killed over 27,000 migratory birds was fined $5,000 and placed on three years' probation.

Harvey Culli, 80, pleaded guilty in June to two federal misdemeanor charges of violating the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act.

In October 1999, Culli spread 4 gallons of wheat seed laced with the pesticide Furadan to keep birds out of 18 acres of winter wheat on the family farm southwest of Mascoutah. His son, Rickey Culli, had a permit to use the pesticide to control insects in alfalfa.

Found dead on the Culli farm were 20,000 red-winged blackbirds and over 7,000 brown-headed cowbirds, grackles, starlings, larks, and short-tailed shrews.

The attorney general's lawsuit charged the pair with violating the Illinois Environmental Protection Act and the federal law dealing with the protection of natural resources and asked for over $1 million for investigation, damages, and penalties for the release of the hazardous materials by Culli.

The suit also requested an order from the federal magistrate that would require the defendants "to undertake and complete, as expeditiously as possible, any action required to remedy the contamination, including all investigation and remediation necessitated by the soil contamination."

Tim Schweizer, a spokesman for the Department of Natural Resources, said about 12 people from the department spent almost four days on the scene, picking up bird carcasses. "The bird's bodies had to be treated as hazardous materials because of the chemicals they ingested," he said. "They had to be incinerated or placed in a hazardous materials landfill."

Furadan, or carbofuran, is highly toxic to mammals, birds, fish, and other waterfowl, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Because the poison was applied to the wheat seed and then ingested by the birds, groundwater contamination was not a concern.

"It certainly was an inappropriate and dangerous way to deal with nuisance wildlife," said Schweizer.

Before you attempt to control any birds, mammals, or fish, contact the Illinois Department of Natural Resources–phone, (217)782-6384–to request information about legal, safe, and effective control methods (if any) and to obtain any permit(s) that may be required.

(Adapted from articles in the Belleville News-Democrat, August 11, 2000, and Tribune News Services, September 14, 2000.)

- Michelle Wiesbrook

Determining how likely a person is to be harmed by a pesticide is called risk assessment. Because it isn't possible to use humans in toxicity studies, determining the likeliness of harm occurring is an indirect process. Toxicity is determined by exposing other mammals, such as rats and mice, to a pesticide and observing the toxic effects. These dosages are measured in milligrams of pesticide per kilogram of test animal body weight. This measurement is the same as parts of pesticide per million parts of test animal body weight, parts per million (ppm). This ppm methodology allows data obtained by using small mammals to be more meaningful when applied to large mammals such as humans.

The highest dose that will cause adverse effects, but not death, is called the Maximum Tolerated Dose (MTD). The highest pesticide dose that does not cause any observable harm or side effects to experimental animals is called the No Observable Effect Level (NOEL). This NOEL is typically divided by a safety factor of 100 or more to obtain the Reference Dose (RFD). The RFD is the toxicity level normally used in estimating the human toxicity of a pesticide. The safety factor allows leeway for very sensitive individuals and because the data has been extrapolated from animal studies. The RFD is the amount of a pesticide residue that could be ingested daily over a 70-year lifetime without any ill effects.

Acute effects, those occurring after a short exposure, are more easily determined than are chronic effects. Chronic effects are those that may occur over a human lifetime of exposure. To determine the chronic effects of a pesticide, it is assumed that exposure to large amounts of pesticide over a short time period is equivalent to small exposures over a very long time period. Thus, chronic exposure studies usually involve laboratory mammals that receive a relatively high dose of pesticide over two or three years. There is a considerable amount of debate as to whether this comparison of short-term, high exposure to long-term, low exposure is valid. However, it is impractical to use chronic studies that involve years of low-level exposure.

Once a pesticide is on the market, USEPA continues monitoring health effects from pesticide use to validate the chronic exposure studies conducted before the pesticide was registered. The health records of pesticide applicators, as well as those working in pesticide production facilities, are monitored. However, most of the pesticides used today were developed after World War II, with many developed during the last 20 years. Thus, a 70-year lifetime exposure to these pesticides has yet to occur, making complete validation of the risk assessment model incomplete in some people's minds.

The uncertainty of the causes of various cancers, other tumors, birth defects, and fertility problems makes pesticides and many other chemicals suspected causes. It is thought that even relatively small exposures over a very long time period may cause some of these problems. However, we are exposed to many similar chemicals that occur naturally in plants, and we consume them with our food.

In addition to the uncertainty of risk, members of the general public feel that they have little or no control over their pesticide exposure. The average person accepts risk much more readily if they feel that they have some control over that risk. For example, people accept the risk of having a fatal car crash much more easily than that of an airplane crash. However, the actual risk of dying in a car is much higher than in a plane. One of the differences is that people feel that they have control of the situation when they are driving the car but have no control of the airplane.

Similarly, many people in this country apply insecticides inside their own home to control pests but are concerned about the pesticides applied by farmers and commercial applicators. These people feel that they have little or no control over what is applied to their food or to the environment. As one becomes more remote from the situation, this feeling of lack of control appears to increase. Thus, a person living in a city tends to be more suspicious of farm-applied chemicals than does a rural person.

Although risk assessment is based on scientific principles and the uncertainties are protected with safety factors, it is one of the most debated principles of pesticide use.

- Phil Nixon

A pesticide performs its main function only after it readies action sites within an organism. These sites are usually the protoplasm of living cells and often particular kinds of cells. For example, the cells targeted by organophosphate insecticides are the nerve cells. Atrazine affects the photosynthetic process in the chloroplasts of susceptible plant cells.

Pesticides kill or otherwise alter an organism by disrupting or interfering with some vital physiological function. This is called the pesticide's mode of action. The mode of action of many kinds of insecticides interferes with the insect's nervous system. Insect-growth regulators mimic insect hormones, keeping the insect from maturing or the exoskeleton from forming properly. Soaps and oils affect the exoskeleton of the insect, causing the insect to desiccate or suffocate.

Some herbicides act as plant-growth regulators, speeding up or slowing down cell growth and reproduction; other herbicides act as desiccants, defoliants, or antitranspirants. One major class of herbicides, the ALS inhibitors, blocks the synthesis of critical amino acids within the plant. Fungicides may act as enzyme poisons and spore-germination inhibitors.

Metabolism is the process by which a pesticide, or other chemical, is changed into one or more different chemicals within a living organism. The metabolic product, or metabolite, may be either more toxic or less toxic than the original pesticide ingredient. For example, corn is tolerant to triazine herbicides because it quickly deactivates these chemicals by binding them to other plant chemicals. Mammals tend to deactivate Sevin and other carbamates soon after contact, making them less toxic. Some pesticides are effective only after they have been metabolized to a lethal compound by an organism. Given enough time, an organism may be able to metabolize certain pesticides to their nontoxic metabolites. Survival may depend on whether or not the organism can metabolize the pesticide into nontoxic metabolites before the toxic activity is complete or irreversible.

- Phil Nixon

University of Illinois Extension and the Illinois Department of Agriculture released both the commercial and private pesticide applicator training (PAT) schedules during the first week of November. All commercial, commercial-not-for-hire, and public operators and applicators should receive a renewal (one-year license) or retest notification letter and training clinic schedule from the Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA). In addition, all private applicators up for retest (three-year license) should receive a retest letter from IDOA. In each case, exams are valid for three years.

This season, there are 28 commercial clinics and 146 private clinics statewide Both clinic schedules (and much more!) can be viewed at the University of Illinois Extension Pesticide Safety Education Website at http://www.aces.uiuc.edu/~pse. Private applicators, please contact your local University of Illinois Extension office to register for a clinic and to order study materials. All other operators and applicators should call the University of Illinois PAT Program to register for a clinic and to order study materials, (800)644-2123 or (217)244-2123.

If you have never held a license or if you allowed your license to lapse, simply contact the appropriate office and register for a training and testing clinic. If you have questions about licensing, contact the Illinois Department of Agriculture at (800)641-3934.

2000–2001 Commercial PAT Clinics
Nov 27–28 Springfield (GS, FC, GF, S, MOS)
Dec 14–15 Urbana (GS, FC, S, GF)
Dec 18–19 Peoria (GS, FC)
Dec 20–21 Mt. Vernon (GS, FC, S, GF)
Jan 3 Urbana (GS, D&R)
Jan 4–5 Rockford (GS, T, O, ROW, MOS)
Jan 16 DeKalb (GS, D&R)
Jan 17–18 Peoria (GS, T, O, AQ)
Jan 23–24 Collinsville (GS, T, O, ROW, AQ,
MOS)
Jan 25–26 Mt. Vernon (GS, T, O, MOS, ROW)
Jan 29–30 Springfield (GS, T, O, ROW)
Jan 31–Feb 1 LaSalle (GS, FC, S, GF)
Feb 8–9 Urbana (GS, T, O, ROW)
Feb 15–16 Matteson (GS, T, O, ROW, MOS)
Feb 22–23 Jacksonville (GS, FC)
Feb 27-28 Willowbrook (GS, T, O)
Mar 6-7 Streamwood (GS, T, O, ROW)
Mar 12 Mt. Vernon (Test only)
Mar 13 Collinsville (Test only)
Mar 14 Peoria (Test only)
Mar 20-21 Willowbrook (GS, T, O, ROW, AQ)
Mar 22-23 Crystal Lake (GS, T, O)
Mar 26-27 Moline (GS, T, O, ROW)
April 2-3 Willowbrook (GS, T, O, ROW)
April 4 Skokie (GS only)
April 11 Mt. Vernon (GS only)
April 18-19 Hillside (GS, T, O, ROW, PM)
May 9 Springfield (GS only)

Training Codes
AQ = Aquatic; D&R = Demonstration and Research; FC = Field Crops; GF = Grain Facility; GS = General Standards; MOS = Mosquito; O = Ornamental; PM = Plant Management; ROW = Rights-of-Way; S = Seed Treatment; T = Turf.

- Bruce Paulsrud

FAMOXATE (famoxadone)–DuPont–A new fungicide being developed for use on potatoes, fruiting vegetables, grapes, cereals, cucurbits, and lettuce.

FARGO (triallate)–Monsanto–Due to the high cost of registration, the company has requested to EPA the deletion from their label the use on canarygrass. Unless withdrawn, this change will be effective 2-14-2001. (FR, vol. 65, 8-18-2000) [herbicide]

GAUCHO (imidacloprid)–Gustafson–Added to their label the on-farm use as a seed treatment on canola, wheat, barley, sorghum, cotton, and corn. [insecticide]

ORACLE (dicamba)–Gharda–A new formulation of this herbicide for use on corn, sorghum, and cereals.

PRESCRIBE (imidacloprid)–Gustafson–A new seed-treatment formulation registered for use on corn. [insecticide]

REMOVE (glufosinate-ammonium)–Aventis–A new formulation for the control of non-glufosinate-ammonium-tolerant corn and soybean plants in seed production.

ROUNDUP ULTRA (glyphosate)–Monsanto–Developing a new label to use on Roundup Ready seed alfalfa. [herbicide]

SERENADE (Bacillus subtillis QST-713)–Agra Quest–EPA conditionally registered this new active ingredient to use on cherries, cucurbits, grapes, hops, leafy vegetables (except brassica), peanuts, peppers, potatoes, tomatoes, and walnuts. (FR, vol. 65, 8-30-2000) [fungicide]

SODIUM CHLORATE–To cover a specific exemption, EPA extended time-limited residue tolerances on wheat when used as a preharvest desiccant. They now expire 12-31-2002. (FR, vol. 65, 8-9-2000)

THIMET (phosate)–American Cyanamid–Due to the high cost of registration, the company has requested EPA to delete from their label the use on wheat. Unless withdrawn, this change will be effective 2-14-2001. (FR, vol. 65, 8-18-2000) [insecticide]

(Michelle Wiesbrook, unless otherwise noted, adapted from Agricultural Chemical News, September and October 2000.)

APOGEE (prohexadione-calcium)–BASF–Being developed for use as a growth regulator to reduce vegetative growth in rice, hops, mints, potatoes, strawberries, avocados, mangoes, and cherries.

APPLAUD (buprofezin)–Aventis–Being developed for use on stone fruits, pome fruits, nut crops, citrus, grapes, cotton, cucurbits, lettuce, and others. [insecticide]

ARAMO (tepraloxydim)–BASF–Introduction of this new herbicide is planned in Europe this fall as a replacement of sethoxydim to control grasses in broadleaf crops.

ARIUS (quinoxyfen)–Dow AgroSciences–A new fungicide being developed to control powdery mildew in grapes, hops, cereals, cucurbits, vegetables, pome fruits, and other crops.

ASSAIL (acetamiprid)–Aventis–A new insecticide being developed to control insects such as aphids, flea hoppers, lygus, whiteflies, bollworms, and leaf hoppers on cotton, cole crops, citrus, stone fruits, and leafy vegetables.

ATTITUDE (pyraclostrobin)–BASF–A new fungicide being developed to control various diseases such as powdery mildew, blotch, rust, scald, septoria, spot blotch, and tan spot in citrus, grasses grown for seed, peanuts, cereals, and sugarbeets.

AUTHORITY (sulfentrazone)–FMC–Being developed for use on cabbage, horseradish, and sunflower. [herbicide]

AVENTIS–The company has sold two herbicidal active ingredients (carbetamide and dimefuron) to Feinchemie Schwabda of Germany.

AXIOM (flufenacet)–Bayer–Being developed for use on dry beans and snap beans. [herbicide]

AZTEC (tebupirimphos/cyfluthrin)–Bayer–Being developed for use on sugarcane, sweet potatoes, and cole crops. [insecticide]

BALANCE (isoxaflutole)–Aventis–Being developed for use on cereals, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and chick peas. [herbicide]

BAROQUE (etoxazole)–Valent–Being developed for use on pome fruits, stone fruits, tree nut crops, cotton, strawberries, grapes, and other crops. [insecticide]

CADRE (imazapic)–BASF–Being developed for use on soybeans, grasses grown for seed, and sugarcane. [herbicide]

CALYPSO (thiacloprid)–Bayer–Being developed for use on rice, fruit crops, and vegetables. [insecticide]

CHECKMITE (coumaphos)–Bayer–To cover a specific exemption, EPA established time-limited residue tolerances in honey at 0.1 ppm and in beeswax at 100 ppm. Expires 12-31-2002. (FR, vol. 65, 8-16-2000) [insecticide]

DANITOL (fenpropathrin)–Valent–EPA extended time-limited residue tolerances to cover a specific exemption on currants and soybeans. They now expire on 12-31-2001. (FR, vol. 65, 8-9-2000) [insecticide]

EQUINOX (tepraloxydim)–BASF–Being developed for use on soybeans, cotton, sugarbeets, and onions. [herbicide]

EQUINOX (tepraloxydim)–Nippon Soda–Proposed to EPA to register this new active ingredient to control grasses in cotton, soybeans, and canola. The comment period expired 8-31-2000. (FR, vol. 65, 8-1-2000)

EQUUS (chlorothalonil)–Griffin–A new brand being introduced this year. It contains 6 lb ai/gallon. [fungicide]

FLORAMITE (bifenazide)–Uniroyal–Being developed to control mites in pome fruits, stone fruits, grapes, strawberries, hops, cotton, citrus, vegetables, and other crops.

FULFILL (pymetrozine)–Novartis–Being developed for use on fruiting vegetables, leafy vegetables, cole crops, cotton, cucurbits, and pecans. [insecticide]

INTREPID (methoxyfenozide)–Rohm & Haas–Being developed for use on cole crops, corn, fruiting vegetables, grapes, leafy vegetables, cucurbits, stone fruits, citrus, rice, sugarbeets, cotton, beans, strawberries, and other crops. [insecticide]

KUSTE (lambda cyhalothrin)–Mitsu Ltd.–A new formulation being introduced into several markets. [insecticide]

MALLET WP (Colletotrichum gloeosporioides f. sp. malvae)–Encore Technologies–A new bioherbicide being developed to control malva, mallow, and velvetleaf.

MESA (milbemectin)–Gowan–This new miticide developed by Sankyo of Japan will be developed and marketed in the United States by Gowan. It is a mixture of naturally derived products isolated from a fermentation broth of soil microorganisms. Evaluation is being done on pome fruits, citrus, strawberries, and ornamentals.

MILESTONE (azafenidin)–DuPont–EPA registration is expected on citrus, grapes, pome fruits, stone fruits, and tree nuts. Other potential uses are on blueberries, alfalfa, coffee, and pineapple. [herbicide]

MILORGANITE PLUS (heat-dried activated sewage sludge)–Milwaukee Metro Sewage District–EPA received an application to register this new active ingredient as a deer repellent. The comment period expired 10-11-2000. (FR, vol. 65, 9-11-2000)

NORTRON SC (ethofumesate)–Aventis–Added to their label the control of bluegrass.

OMEGA (fluazinam)–Zeneca–A new fungicide being developed for use on peanuts, potatoes, strawberries, beans, peas, lettuce, grapes, onions, and other crops.

PATH GUARD (chlorothalonil)–Whitmire Micro-Gen–A new formulation being introduced into the marketplace. [fungicide]

PRISTINE RTU (acetamiprid)–Aventis–A new insecticide being developed for homeowner use to control aphids, whiteflies, flea hoppers, leaf hoppers, and other insects in various fruits, vegetables, and ornamentals.

PROCLAIM (emamectin benzoate)–Novartis–Being developed for use on fruiting vegetables, cotton, pome fruits, tree nut crops, and others. [insecticide]

PROSECUTOR (glyphosate)–Lesco–A new formulation being introduced into the marketplace. [herbicide]

PROWL (pendimethalin)–American Cyanamid–Added to their label the use on popcorn, sweet corn, and seed corn. [herbicide]

RAPTOR (imazamox)–BASF–Being developed for use on beans, peas, canola, sunflower, rice, and wheat. [herbicide]

REGENT (fepronil)–Aventis–Being developed for use on cotton, potatoes, and onions. [insecticide]

RONILAN (vinclozolin)–BASF–Uses on onions and raspberries will be deleted from the label. Use will be allowed on these crops until 1-1-2001, and there are no product recalls on existing stock. Canola and snap bean use will be added to the label, while kiwi fruit and Belgium endive will be deleted by 12-31-2000. A 24-day preharvest interval on sod farms will also be added to the label. [fungicide]

SABER (2,4-D)–Platte Chemical–A new formulation developed for use in pastures, sod farms, stone fruits, and grapes. [herbicide]

SAVEY (hexythiazox)–Gowan–To cover a specific exemption, EPA extended temporary residue tolerances on strawberries, dates, and cotton gin by-products. They now expire 10-31-2001. (FR, vol. 65, 9-18-2000) [insecticide]

STEWARD (indoxacarb)–DuPont–Being developed for use on cotton, fruiting vegetables, cole crops, lettuce, pome fruits, and others. [insecticide]

THIAMETHOXAM–Novartis–This new insecticide whose registration is expected this fall will be sold as Meridian in the turf and ornamental market and Flagship in the greenhouse and nursery market. It is expected to be registered for structural pest control in 2001.

TRISTAR 70 WSP (acetamiprid)–Aventis–A new insecticide being developed to control aphids, flea hoppers, lygus, whiteflies, bollworms, leaf hoppers, and others on cotton, cole crops, citrus, stone fruits, and leafy vegetables.

VALOR (flumioxazin)–Valent–EPA registration is pending on cotton, peanuts, and soybeans. Being developed for use on sunflower, sugarcane, fruit and nut crops, grapes, carrots, and tomatoes. [herbicide]

VALORAM (oil of mustard/extract of chile)–Soil Technologies–A new biochemical insecticide approved by EPA to use on vegetables, fruit and nut crops, turf, and ornamentals to control or repel various insects.

VINCLOZOLIN–BASF–Due to registration costs, the company plans to cancel certain uses for this product. For onions and raspberries, the last day for sale is 1-1-2001; and the last day for use is 9-30-2001. For ornamentals, the last day for sale is 7-15-2001; and the last day for use is 9-1-2001. For kiwi and chicory, the last day for sale is 12-31-2002; and the last day for use is 11-30-2003. For lettuce and succulent beans, the last day for sale is 7-15-2005; and the last day for use is 9-30-2005. The comment period expired 10-20-2000. (FR, vol. 65, 9-20-2000) [fungicide]

(Michelle Wiesbrook, unless otherwise noted, adapted from Agricultural Chemical News, September and October 2000.)

AMERICAN CYANAMID–The company will introduce Clearfield (imidazolinone-tolerant) wheat lines in the United States and Canada this coming year. Clearfield canola was reintroduced into the Canadian market this year.

AMVAC–The company has received exclusive U.S. marketing rights to Bayer's Aztec 4.67 granular corn herbicide. Bayer will continue to market the Aztec 2.1% granular formulation.

AVENTIS–The company is introducing genetically engineered corn, soybeans, and sugarcane that will be tolerant to the herbicide isoxaflutole. Introduction is expected in 2003.

AVENTIS–The company has stopped the sales in the United States of its genetically engineered corn, Star Link, that contains the gene for insect control. It was registered for corn used for animal feed or seed purposes but not for human consumption.

J.R. SIMPLOT–The company has purchased the turfgrass seed and specialty distribution business of Agri Bio Tech of Las Vegas, NV.

MONSANTO–The company is offering a Bottom Line Boosters Guarantee that says Roundup Ready soybean systems will be better on the bottom line than conventional soybeans. If not equal or better, Monsanto will pay each qualified grower up to $10,000. In a new program for the 2001 season, corn growers can save $10/bag of seed on stacked Yield Guard/Roundup Ready corn. The $10 will be available at the point of purchase and requires no paperwork on the part of the grower.

VALENT–The company has combined the sales and marketing functions of Valent USA and Valent BioSciences (except for forestry and public health products) into one organization. Valent BioSciences will continue to serve as a worldwide center for discovery and development of biological/biorational-based products and will continue to be based at Libertyville, IL.

(Michelle Wiesbrook, unless otherwise noted, adapted from Agricultural Chemical News, September and October 2000.)

CONSAIR (chlorsulfuron)–Riverdale–A new formulation being developed to control various weeds in turf.

CURALAN (vinclozolin)–BASF–New labeling will remove the use on commercial turf and sod farms, and woody and herbaceous plant production. [fungicide]

EAGLE T/O (myclobutanil)–Rohm & Haas–Added to their label the control of fusarium and dead spot.

FIRST STEP (potassium bicarbonate)–Cleary–A new product being developed for the ornamental market to control powdery mildew, Botrytis, and other diseases.

INSIGNIA (pyraclostrobin)–BASF–A new fungicide being developed to control brown patch, gray snow mold, pink snow mold, rust, summer patch, and leaf spot on turf.

RIMON 10 EC (novaluron)–Makhteshim-Agan–A new product to control whiteflies, thrips, leafminers, and armyworms in ornamentals grown in greenhouses or outdoor nurseries.

SCIMITAR (lambda cyhalothrin)–Zeneca–Added to their label the use on ornamentals commercially grown in greenhouses and nurseries. [insecticide]

(Michelle Wiesbrook, unless otherwise noted, adapted from Agricultural Chemical News, September and October 2000.)

AGRI-MEK (abamectin)–Novartis–Being developed for use on avocados, lettuce, spinach, leafy vegetables, cole crops, fruiting vegetables, onions, papayas, and others. [insecticide]

APOGEE (prohexadione-calcium)–BASF–EPA approved an application to register this growth regulator to reduce vegetative growth on apples and pears. (FR, vol. 65, 7-26-2000)

BRAVO ULTREX (chlorothalonil)–Zeneca–Added to their label the control of black knot on cherries and plums.

BROADSTRIKE (flumetsulam)–Dow AgroSciences–Being developed for use on dry beans. [herbicide]

COMPLY (fenoxycarb)–Novartis–Being developed for use on pome fruits, tree nut crops, and citrus. [insecticide]

DITHANE M-45 (mancozeb)–Rohm & Haas–Added to their label the use on garlic, shallots, and gourds. [fungicide]

FRONTIER X-2 (dimethenamid-P)–BASF–Being developed for use on onions and garden beets. [herbicide]

GRAMOXONE EXTRA (paraquat)–Zeneca––Received a supplemental label from EPA to use for vine desiccation on fresh-market potatoes. Not for use on potatoes to be put into storage.

HEADLINE (pyraclostrobin)–BASF–A new fungicide being developed to control powdery mildew, rusts, and other diseases on grapes, pistachios, vegetables, stone fruits, nut crops, and strawberries.

KOCIDE (copper hydroxide)–Griffin–Added to their label the control of phomopsis on grapes.

LINDANE–Inquinosa–Due to the high cost of registration, the company has requested EPA to delete from their label the use on celery, collards, kale, kohlrabi, mustard greens, and Swiss chard. Unless withdrawn, the change will be effective 2-4-2001. (FR, vol. 65, 8-18-2000) [insecticide]

PERMIT (halosulfuron)–Monsanto–Being developed for use on tomatoes, cucurbits, dry beans, asparagus, and potatoes. [herbicide]

PLANT SHIELD BIOLOGICAL FUNGICIDE (Tih. strain T-22)–Bio Works–A new broad-spectrum biofungicide for use on vegetables to control various foliar and root diseases.

PROLONG (Bt strain BMP 123)–Cillus Technologies–A new formulation of Bt that provides long-lasting protection against lepidoptera on vegetable crops.

PRORADIX (Pseudomonas spp)–Sourcon-Padena–A new biofungicide developed by this German company for use on potatoes to make them more resistant to soilborne diseases such as Rhizoctonia and Pythium.

ROUNDUP ULTRA (glyphosate)–Monsanto–Added to their label the wiper application of weeds in mint.

SANDEA (halosulfuron-methyl)–Nissan Chemical–Gowan Company has obtained the marketing rights to this herbicide from Monsanto in the United States for use on vegetables and alfalfa. Monsanto will continue to market the material as Permit on corn and Manage on turf. Vegetable use includes tomatoes, peppers, melons, and asparagus.

STARANE F (fluroxypyr)–Dow AgroSciences–Being developed for use on pome fruits, nut crops, spinach, and grapes. [herbicide]

TOPSIN-M (thiophanate-methyl)–Atochem–Added to their label the suppression of vine decline on cucurbits.

WARRIOR (lambda cyhalothrin)–Zeneca–Added to their label the use on tomatoes and tomatillo to control various insects such as loopers, cutworms, hornworms, flea hoppers, aphids, and whiteflies.

ZOOM (etoxazole)–Yashima Chemical–A new insecticide–miticide being introduced in various countries for use on fruits and vegetables.

ZOXIUM (zoxamide)–Rohm & Haas–Introduction of this new fungicide is expected in the United States in 2001 to control early and late blight on potatoes and downy mildew on grapes. There will also be a combination product, Gravel (zoxamide/mancozeb).

(Michelle Wiesbrook, unless otherwise noted, adapted from Agricultural Chemical News, September and October 2000.)

DIAZINON–Novartis–Due to the high cost of registration, the company will not support indoor applications. This will eliminate uses in greenhouses, residential settings, commercial buildings, hospitals, schools, museums, sport facilities, stores, and warehouses. [insecticide]

REVAP EC (DDVP/tetrachlovinphos)–Anchor Division of Boehringer–A new formulation to control various insects on cattle and poultry and in their housing facilities.

SBP-1382 (resmethrin)–Aventis–Due to the high cost of registration, the company has requested EPA to delete the use for mosquito from their label. Unless withdrawn, this change will be effective 2-4-2001. (FR, vol. 65, 8-18-2000)

(Michelle Wiesbrook, unless otherwise noted, adapted from Agricultural Chemical News, September and October 2000.)