Pertanika 1(1), 36-39(1978)

Soil Application of Granular Carbofuran to Control Bean Fly,Ophiomyia phaseoli (Tryon)

MOHD YUSOF B. HUSSEINPlant Protection Department, Universiti Pertanian Malaysia

Key words: Carbofuran, Soil application, Control, Bean Fly

RINGKASAN

Satu percubaan ladang bercorak perbandingan berpasangan untuk menguji kesan formulasi pepasircarbofuran 3% bagi mengawal serangan lalat kacang terhadap kacang panjang dan kacang buncis telah di-jalankan di Universiti Pertanian Malaysia, Serdang. Keputusannya telah membuktikan bahwa kerosakanyang dilakukan oleh lalat kacang, Ophiomyia phaseoli (Tyron) keatas kacang buncis, Phaseoli vulgaristelah berkurangan (P < .01) sebanyak 87% (purata 70% pengurangan) setelah merawat tanah denganracun serangga carbofuran 3% pepasir sebelum menanam. Pokok-pokok kacang buncis yang telah menerimarawatan juga menunjukkan pertambahan ukoran tinggi purata sebanyak 30 cam. Pengurangan serangan(P < .05) juga berlaku pada pokok-pokok kacang, Vigna sisquipedalis setelah menerima rawatan tanah yangsama tetapi tidak terdapat pertambahan ukoran tinggi pokok. Serangan perosak adalah lebih rendah (23%paling teruk) bagi kacang panjang jika dibandingkan dengan kacang buncis yang mengalami 100% serangandi bawah keadaan ladang yang dialami dalam masa percubaan ini.

SUMMARY

A paired comparison field trial to test the effectiveness of carbofuran 3% granular formulation in con-trolling bean fly attack on long beans andfrench beans was conducted at Universiti Pertanian Malaysia, Serdang.Results showed that damage caused by bean fly Ophiomyia phaseoli (Tryon) to french beans, Phaseolusvulgaris, can be significantly (P < .01) reduced by as much as 87% (an average of 70% reduction) by soilapplication of carbofuran 3% granules formulation prior to planting. Treated french bean plants also showedan average of 30 cm increase in plant height. Similarly, significant reduction in attack was achieved on treatedlong beans, Vigna sisquipedalis, but treated long beans plants did not differ significantly (P < .05) in theirheights as compared to the control. Pest attack was very much lower (highest attack was 23%) on long beanswhen compared to the french beans which suffered 100% attack under field conditions experienced during thetrial

INTRODUCTION

The bean fly, Ophiomyia phaseoli (Tryon)is a serious pest of many leguminous plantsthroughout Malaysia (Ho, 1967; and Yunus andHo, 1970). The pest is also widespread in manyparts of the tropics and warmer temperate regionsof the world (Walker, 1960; Ho, 1967; and Great-head, 1969). Damage on french bean, Phaseolusvulgaris, is often very severe but in long bean,Vigna sisquipedalis, it seldom results in severeloss (Ho, 1967). Various insecticides have beenapplied either by seed treatment, spraying ordusting to control the pest but with varying andmore often unsatisfactory results. (Hely, 1948;Laan, 1949; Braithwaite, 1957; Taylor, 1958

and 1959; Walker, 1960; Ho, 1967; and Yunus,1975; Hussein, 1975).

Carbofuran, a systemic carbamate insecticideis being widely tested and used throughout theworld for the control of a wide range of insectpests. Studies on the absorption and trans-location of soil applied 14C-carbofuran in vege-tative tissues and seeds of soybean, Glysine maxand mungbean, Vigna radiata, have revealed thatinsignificant amounts of carbofuran were presentin the seeds at harvest (Talekar et ah, 1977).

This study was conducted to evaluate theeffectiveness of soil application of a systemicgranular carbofuran for the control of bean flyunder field conditions prevailing at UniversitiPertanian Malaysia, Serdang.

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MOHD. YUSOF BIN HUSSEIN

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The study was conducted at the UniversityVegetable Area on July 28, 1975. The crops inthe study were french bean and long bean. Eachtreatment was replicated 6 times in a pairedcomparison test design. Crops were paired onthe basis of one row of a line treated for bean flycontrol and one row without treatment. Seedswere sown by hand 2 - 3 cm deep on 3 m longridges. The planting distance was 15 cm apartalong the ridge. The ridges were spaced 0.6 mapart and a spacing of 0.9 m was maintainedbetween pairs. Each treatment replicate for eachcrop was distributed at random. The insecticideused in this study was carbofuran 3% standardformulation granules applied at 4.5 kg/ha. Theamount of insecticide applied in each replicatewas 5 gm/3 linear meters. The insecticide appli-cation was made by measuring the appropriateamounts of granules, mixed with a handful offine river sand in a plastic bag and distributeduniformly along the furrows made on the ridges.The furrows were then covered with soil. Seedswere planted immediately after insecticide appli-cation was completed. A similar technique ofplanting and application of granular carbofuranwas used for french bean and long bean. Fourweeks after planting all plants (20 plants perridge) were evaluated for plant height and per-centage of attack. Plant height was measuredfrom the base of the stem at ground level to thetip of the terminal shoot. Percentage of attackwas calculated by counting the number of attacked(seedlings) plants and comparing them with thenormal plants. The plants were classified asattacked if upon examination the stem or bases

of leaf petioles showed symptoms of swelling,splitting and rotting, or the whole plant died.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The mean plant heights for french beantaken 4 weeks after planting showed a meanrange of 59.46 cm - 92.33 cm for the treatedplants and 32.84 cm - 78.13 cm for the untreatedplants (Table 1). Statistical analysis revealedthat french beans sown on soils treated withcarbofuran grew significantly (P < .01) higherthan those in untreated plots. Mean percentattack computed from stands mean ranged from13 - 43% for plants that received carbofuranand 100% attack for all untreated plants. Ahighly significant difference (P < .01) in percentattack was observed between the treated anduntreated french beans, indicating high proba-bility of reduction in plant height caused bybean fly attack. The application of granularcarbofuran to the soil at planting resulted in ahighly significant control of bean fly for a periodof not less than 4 weeks after planting. Evidently,plants in the untreated rows not only showedsevere signs of attack but were also dying at thetime when the plants were evaluated. Attackson treated plants were limited to the stem bases;in the untreated plants the attacks also occurredat the bases of leaf petioles.

The mean plant heights among pairs forlong bean ranged from 55 cm - 93 cm for thetreated and 47 cm - 94 cm for those untreated(Table 2). No significant difference in plantheights was detected between treated and un-treated rows.

TABLE 1

Mean plant heights and percentages of attack for french beans 4 weeks after carbofuran 3G treatment -Universiti Pertanian Malaysia, 1975

Replicate (pair)

I

II

III

IV

V

VI

LSD (1%)

LSD (5%)

Plant Height

Carbofuran 3G*#

59.46

92.33

86.47

63.62

88.40

78.05

32.04

12.00

(cm)*

Control

32.84

78.13

41.57

25.75

47.70

47.70

Carbofuran

43

26

35

21

13

15

Attack (%)*

3G**

32.72

12.26

Control

100

100

100

100

100

100

*P = <0.05•#p = <0.01

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TABLE 2

Mean plant heights and percentages of attack for long beans 4 weeks after carbofuran 3G treatment -Universiti Pertanian Malaysia, 1975

Replicate (pair)

I

II

III

IV

V

VI

LSD (1%)

LSD (5%)

Plant Height

Carbofuran 3G

68.80

5570

68.67

76.90

93-08

72.63

49.87

18.68

(cm)

Control

47.62

87.45

63.20

66.92

94.42

71.92

Attack (%)•

Carbofuran 3G

0

0

2

0

0

0

16.88

6.32

Control

23

18

IS

13

6

10

#p = <0.05

Mean percent attack in the treated plantsranged from 0 - 2% while in those not treatedit ranged from 6 - 23%. Even though com-paratively low level of infestation was recorded,a significantly (P < .05) higher percentage ofattack was observed in the untreated plots. Thedifference in the levels of infestation may not bevery important because pest attack on the un-treated plants did not have any adverse effectson the plant heights. However, poor growth oryield may have showed up in the later period ofgrowth, particularly with the percentage of attackby the pest increasing.

CONCLUSIONS

Carbofuran 3% at the rate of 5 g/3 linearmeters when applied as granules to the soil atplanting gave significant control against bean flyin french beans and long beans. Also, plantsthat received carbofuran were significantly higher;attacks by bean fly resulted in significant reductionof plant heights in french beans but not in longbeans. It is evident from this study that onlyone application or granular carbofuran willeffectively protect long bean and french beanseedlings against bean fly attack for a period ofat least 4 weeks after planting. This will savefarmers from having to make at least 5 - 6 spray-ings of the seedlings during the first month ofplanting. Selectivity achieved through granularapplication at planting with systemic insecticidessuch as carbofuran is of utmost importance tothe pest management philosophy in determininghow insecticides can be applied most effectivelyin pest control programmes.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The writer wishes to thank En. Hamdanbin Idris, Field Assistant, and the Staff of theEntomology section of Plant Protection Depart-ment, Universiti Pertanian Malaysia, for theirassistance in the field. The invaluable assistanceof my colleague En. Yusof Ibrahim in the pre-paration of this manuscript is gratefully ackno-ledged.

,REFERENCES

BRAITHWAITE, B. M. (1957). An experiment for thecontrol of Bean fiV Agric. Gaz. N.S.W. 68:95-97 .

GREATHEAD, D. J. (1969). A study in East Africa onthe beanflies (Dipt. Agromyzidae) affecting Phaselusvulgaris and of their natural enemies, with thedescription of a new species of MelanagromyzaHend. Bull. Ent. Res. 59: 541 - 561.

HELY, P. C. (1948). Bean fly control. Agric. Gaz.N.S.W. 59:419-420.

Ho, T. H. (1967). The Bean fly (Melanagromyzaphaseoli Coq.) and Experiments on its Control.Malay. Agric. J. 46: 149 - 157-

HUSSEIN, M. Y. (1975). Seed Treatment for theControl of bean fly, Ophiomyia phaseoli (Tryon)on long bean (Vigna sinensis) seedlings. Malay.Agric. J. (in press).

LAAN, P. A. VAN DER. (1949). The chemical controlof the bean fly ((Agromyza phaseoli Coq) on soyabeans. Meded, alg. Proefst. Landb. Buitenz No.98.

TAYLOR, C. E. (1958). "The bean stem maggot".Rhod. agric. J. 55: 634 - 636.

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MOHD. YUSOF BIN HUSSEIN

TAYLOR, C. E. (1959). Control of the bean stemmaggot by insecticidal dressings - Rhod. agric. J.56:195-196.

TALEKAR, N. S., LEE, E. M. and SUN, L. T. (1977).Absorption and Translocation of soil and foliarapplied 14C-Carbofuran and 14C-Phorate inSoybean and Mungbean seeds. J. Eco. Entom.70(6): 685-688.

WALKER, P. T. (1960). Seed dressings for the controlof the bean fly, Melanagromyza phaseoli Coq. inTanganyika. Bull Entomol. Res. 50:647-824.

YUNUS, A. and A. BALASUBRAMANIAM, (1975). Majorcrop pests in Peninsular Malaysia. Malays. Min.Agric. Rural Dev. Bull. 138.

(Received 14 January 1978)

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