Wireworm damage to sweetpoatoes is the leading insect pest of this crop and tunnels damage to the roots can rob a grower more than 30% of their yield.  There are few effective insecticides with Lorsban (chlorpyrifos) historically used to control this pest. However, the EPA is cancelling chlorpyrifos use on many food and feed crops due to worker exposure and other concerns.  This had left sweet potato producers with little effective alternatives.

Through the IR-4 program, I identified a brand new alternative soil insecticide to control wireworms on sweet potatoes to replace chlorpyrifos which was being cancelled by the EPA.  This involved developing and proposing the project to IR-4, garnering support from the registrant (chemical manufacturer) and among states to be included in the top 40 projects in the US (IR-4 only funds 40 residues projects a year), and conducting four on-farm efficacy trials demonstrating its effectiveness in Kentucky. IR-4 then conducted the necessary residue trials and submitted the proposed use to the EPA for consideration. After 4 years of work, this insecticide, Nurizma produced by BASF, received federal approval for  use on field corn, potatoes, and sweetpotatoes to replaces the void left by the cancellation of chlorpyrifos. This is a new tool available to our producers in Kentucky.