Comparison of Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner var. thuringiensis and Chemical Insecticides for Control of the Alfalfa Caterpillar

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Abstract
Commercial preparations of Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner var. thuringiensis and chemical insecticides were applied on alfalfa to control the alfalfa caterpillar, Colias eurytheme Boisduval. Application problems were encountered where ground equipment was used because certain microbial preparations clogged the nozzles. In high concentrate-low volume sprays the wettable powder pathogenic materials are more suitably applied by aircraft where each nozzle orifice is large and the spray droplets are further broken by rapidly moving air currents. When applied at the rate of 6 ounces in 10 gallons of water per acre the wettable powder bacillus products gave satisfactory results that were comparable to 2-ounce Phosdrin® (a mixture of the alpha isomer of 2-carbolllethoxy-1-methylvinyl dimethyl phosphate (not less less than 60%) and related compounds (not more than 40%)) and 5-ounce Dylox® (O,O-dimethyl 2,2,2-triebloro-1-hydroxyethyl phosphonate) treatments. There was rapid mortality of late-instar larvae, which are the most injurious to alfalfa, and subsequently, early instars were unable to continue development.

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