Last week Scott Carlson in Worth County and Eddie Beasley in Berrien County each put a light trap in non-irrigated peanut fields. Burrower bugs were collected at both locations on the first night the traps ran. Only limited research has been done on burrower bug in Georgia. It is not known if granular chlorpyrifos (i.e. Lorsban 15 G) applied this late in the season would suppress populations. This product does have a 21 day pre-harvest interval, and it requires rainfall or irrigation to be activated.
We plan to place an additional light trap in Dooly County later this week.
Hot, dry conditions, lesser cornstalk borer, and burrower bug all increase aflatoxin risk. Growers with irrigated peanuts should be mindful of this when harvesting the dry corners of fields where the pivot does not reach.
