Manitoba Agriculture, Manitoba Crop Alliance and FMC Canada are pleased to announce that Carbine insecticide has been approved for use to control lygus bug in confection sunflowers in Manitoba again in 2024.

The need for an emergency use registration was identified in the wake of the re-evaluation of lambda-cyhalothrin product use in Canada, which left a void in lygus bug control in confection sunflowers. This insect pest is a serious economic threat to human consumption market confection sunflowers.

Lygus nymph and adult.

Lygus bug feed on developing sunflower seeds, which can cause kernel brown spot, a physical scar on the bare seed, and a bitter taste when consumed. Sunflower processors allow only 0.5 per cent damage in physical product. Since tolerance is at an absolute minimum, confection sunflower farmers need an insecticide product to control lygus bug to maintain the quality that is so highly demanded.

Lygus bugs can damage 30 to 35 seeds per head per adult. With the industry standard allowing for a maximum of 0.5 per cent kernel brown spot, the economic threshold for lygus bugs on sunflowers is about one lygus bug per nine heads. In research trials, damage to sunflower heads was approximately twice as severe when infestations occurred at late bud and early bloom compared to stages when heads had completed flowering. Thus, lygus bug management should be initiated prior to or at the beginning of the bloom stage if adult densities approach the economic threshold. Also, fields should be monitored for lygus bugs until flowering is complete to reduce incidence of kernel brown spot damage to confection sunflowers.

Please note that confectionary sunflower farmers interested in using Carbine on their sunflowers are recommended to contact their ag retailer as soon as possible to allow for timely delivery in case there is no local stock available.

Here are key details regarding the Carbine insecticide Emergency Use Registration:

• Carbine^® insecticide is registered for control of lygus bugs (Lygus spp.) on confection sunflowers in Manitoba from July 21, 2024 until July 20, 2025.
• This emergency use is for Manitoba confection sunflowers only with intended sell-in markets of Canada or the U.S. Please confirm this with end purchaser prior to application.
• This emergency use is not for oilseed sunflowers, as maximum residue levels are not set in other countries where oilseed sunflowers might be sold.

What you need to know about Carbine^® insecticide:

• Application Rate: 81 grams/acre (20 acres per 1.587kg jug); maximum of three applications per year.
• The emergency use covers both air and ground application.
• Application Water Volume: Thorough spray coverage essential for optimum control. Apply in sufficient water to ensure good coverage (min. of 50 L/ha for ground; 30 L/ha for air). Finished spray volumes should be increased when plant foliage is dense.
• What to expect: Carbine^® insecticide will stop lygus bug feeding rapidly and irreversibly, but it may take several days to see a reduction in lygus bug numbers, as they take time to desiccate. They will not be causing damage in this time.

Please contact your local FMC Account Manager for more information.