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Show Tests Prove Spraying From Airplane Controls Plant Bug The Say's plant bug Is more numerous than usual In all wheat area of Utah examined up to date, pointed out Dr. George F. Knowlton, Utah State Agricultural college extension entomologist. The Say's plant bug Is a green shield-shaped bug nearly one-half one-half inch long, with four white spots on its back. This pest may damage wheat, oats, barley and alfarla seed during the juice and milk stages. Also, it damages stems by earlier feeding, causing caus-ing empty, bleached heads. Utah farmers have, from time to time, experienced crop damage dam-age from this pest, but usually in local areas. This season the threat is more widespread than previously observed by entomologist entomolo-gist Knowlton, who has conducted con-ducted studies on this pest during dur-ing season of its unusual abundance. abun-dance. Control results reported in the past for this pest in other states have listed 1 or 2 per cent gamma gam-ma benzene heaxachloride dust, or strong pjarathon spray, as having controlled this pest on small grains. Royce Knight and County Agent Stephen Brower report excellent ex-cellent kills of this pest when airplane applications of VA pints of dieldrin or aldrin emulsion were applied per acre, mixed in several gallons of water. Some of these control tests were run in the "Hurricane Plains" area of Washington county. Warning against use of dieldrin diel-drin on alfalfa was voiced by Dr. Knowlton. Due to the poisonous poison-ous nature of dieldrin, and lack of detailed knowledge of its risk to livestock and persons, its use on forage crops is unwise. Recent surveys of alfalfa fields in Box Elder, Salt Lake, Tooele, Millard, Utah, Juab, Carbon, Car-bon, Grand, San Juan, Sanpete, Emery, Sevier, Iron and Washington Wash-ington counties, conducted by the State Extension entomologist have revealed Say's plant bugs to be everywhere. However, populations pop-ulations on many farms did not justify control expense. On others, oth-ers, damage has been conspicuous conspicu-ous and prompt control has been needed, Dr. Knowlton declared. |