| The studies were conducted at Belleville, Hays, Hesston, Hutchinson, and Manhattan, Kansas during 1986-1988 to evaluate planting data and insecticide effects on sunflower moth damage. The number of sunflower moth, Homoeosoma electellum (Hulst), larvae/head and percent head damage was higher with early (mid-May or early June) than late (early July) plantings. Based on the number of larvae/head early July plantings resulted in less infestations at Hesston, Hutchinson, and Manhattan. At Belleville and Hays planting after the second week of June resulted in less damage by the moth.;Maximum number of moths were trapped in pheromone traps from mid July to mid August at most locations. Pheromone traps proved to be an efficient tool to detect the presence of moths in the field. A significant relationship was found between number of moths in traps and larvae/head. Other insect pests recorded were sunflower seed weevil, Smicronyx fulvus LeConte and S. sordidus Leconte, banded sunflower moth, Cochylis hospes Walsingham, sunflower midge, Contorinia schulzi Gagne, woollybear, Siplosoma virginica (Fab.), painted lady, Cynthia cardui L., carrot beetle, Bothynus gibbosus (De Geer), sunflower beetle, Zygogramma exclamationis (Fab.), sunflower head-clipper weevil, Haplorhynchites aeneus (Boheman), and Euphorea sepueralis (Fab.). Banded sunflower moth and sunflower seed weevils may become important pests in the state because an increase in their populations was noted over three years.;When insecticides were applied, treated plots had significantly less larvae/head in June but not in July plantings. Yield loss was 9.9 Kgs/ha with one larva/head. Planting sunflowers and treating for sunflower moth control during first week of June at Manhattan and Belleville, the second to third week of June at Hesston, and the first week of July at Hutchinson will result in the highest net return. If no insecticide was applied, the maximum net return was obtained by planting during the second or third week of June at Belleville, Hesston, and Manhattan and the first week of July at Hutchinson. |
