Who wants to kill some root aphids?

[Onespark]

Hey farmers. I am in D-town and testing a biological Root Aphid killer. I need some testers. Anybody with a root aphid problem that wants to try out a new 100% non-systemic root aphid killing spore let me know! All I ask in return is a report of how it works for you. I have a limited amount of this stuff so if you are interested let me know ASAP. I have tried other spores like Botaniguard with little success and I think this new stuff is the ticket. It's what the french used to fight Phylloxera in the vines and what the Irish used to fight them in the potatoes. :)

 

[Seamaiden]

Oh, this absolutely needs a BUMP! I know we've got people on this board who are actively battling RAs.

Would you care to share the name of this product?

 

[tattoojim]

onespark..i would like to know more about this product. if this stuff kills aphids it must have a list of other pests it kills also. im down to check out this stuff...seamaiden has posted and gave me info in my threads and knows im having some issues with bugs. p.m. me if you are serious about testers, i have a buddy in d-town

 

[Onespark]

The stuff is...

Met 52. It is Metarhizium anisopliae strain F52. I have had a hell of a time finding it. I have a ton of it in a few warehouses testing right now so let's hope it works as well as the French say it does on these little jerks. I will let you all know here very soon.

 

[phenotyper]

Well that's awesome. Wish you were giving out some samples out west!

 

[altimood]

Yo Bro. Thank you very much for the Met 52 sample. I will document this trial starting today. Anybody who knows about root aphids needs to watch this progression. Let the war games begin!

 

[eyecandi]

i hope it kills the f'ers ..... started my own wargames ..... used 5% PyGanic to begin my genocide. will have to wait and see if the above is affective

 

[Seamaiden]

Eye, I know someone else on another forum who had great results using Pyganic 5%. I think it's another pyrethrin-based product, yes?

 

[altimood]

Met test

The following plant is going to be used as a "control" in this experiment. This plant was treated with Spectracide two days ago. Then yesterday hit with 5% PyGanic. I wanted to use Excite R. Its cheaper and stronger but didn't make it in the mail in time. and this was available at WTG in D-town for 60 bucks more a bottle. Ouch! Ran the PyGanic at 5ml/gl. I will be boosting that to 10ml next treatment. Please note that my colleague and I found live fungus gnat larvae AND flier and tank beetle root aphids chillin out sucking on roots after these treatments. Also, i am using a blackberry curve to take picks. Sad, but its all I have. My partner here is bringing a better cam tomorrow. But its time to get this going. This plant is an untrained, untopped Sour D. It is living with a whole bunch of plants that are suffering from the same ailments. These plants will also be transplanted into 7 gallon bags with a soil mix containing granular Met 52. The stick and peel samples are (off the root ball) : top tape is one day after spectracide and every dot on the tape is a root fucking aphid. Bottom tape is one day after PyGanic and that has one root aphid. The rest is plant matter with some fungus gnat larvae.

This root ball is brown and hurting.

Top tape has over 500 root aphids stuck to it. My veho zoom scope is broken so you're just going to have to take my word for it. Bottom is fairly clean of bugs but still found live ones on many root balls including the control plant. I expected this since I've been seeing this type of activity over the course of this last year with treatments and what not.

Transplant will happen today and I will post as things develop while monitoring the health of the plant. Also The control plant will no longer receive treatments of any sort while its neighbors certainly will. Any input on this test or recommendations are welcomed. One more thing: The PyGanic retailed at $175 and I ran it at 5ml and that took a half a 1 qt bottle so I really hope the Met 52 handles business. Otherwise I'm going back to Excite R for like $60 less a bottle for liquid P treatments.

 

[phenotyper]

ExciteR seems to be doing the trick! Screw botanigard! Hitting the vegging ladies with Merit 75 today. Hopefully this battle will be won! Otherwise, i've been popping seeds like a madman.

 

[altimood]

We found Botaniguard to be totally ineffective on Phyloxerra as well.

 

[phenotyper]

We found Botaniguard to be totally ineffective on Phyloxerra as well.

I know, and at $100 per pound and 3 TBS per gallon, it really pisses me off that it did next to nothing.

 

[altimood]

We hired a plant biologist that told us that Phylloxera isn't really an aphid and thats why Botaniguard doesn't do shit. He is actually the one who turned us on to the Met because Phylloxera infest and destroy vineyards. Some operations got so fucked up that they dug up their vines and moved them from Europe to Argentina. Now Met 52 is widely used in France to control Phylloxera. I'm feeling like I'm about to blow up the Death Star with this shit. A New Hope. Anyway, I got some mixed up so we'll see the score. I have seen mad root aphid destruction. If these plants are alive in a week or two, then the Met 52 works. Because remember, I'm stopping all other treatments. The way the Met works is this: Anisopliae Metharizium strain F52 is a mold spore, in this case applied to cereal grain. Once an insect comes in contact with it, its infected and dies in 3 to 5 days. These infected insects infect any other insects that they come in contact with. Supposedly. That's what this test is all about. Let's see what the truth is.

 

[canaguy27]

If these plants are alive in a week or two, then the Met 52 works.

Where do you buy Met52?

 

[altimood]

I have searched hi and lo for this stuff. Its fairly new and in the experimental stage in the States. I have found abstract information on the internet in the U.S. but can't find a distributor. Onespark graciously hit me with a sample, you should get with him on a possible source. Apparently bee keepers want it, too for the war on bee mites. I came across a thread in my search where some bee keepers were actually pissed they couldn't access Met52 in the States. Crazy. I even read that people are trying to grow their own Metharizium Anisopliae strain f52 spores! CRAZY! But that's why I'm trying this stuff. What's up Onespark? You out there?

 

[Onespark]

We hired a plant biologist that told us that Phylloxera isn't really an aphid and thats why Botaniguard doesn't do shit. He is actually the one who turned us on to the Met because Phylloxera infest and destroy vineyards. Some operations got so fucked up that they dug up their vines and moved them from Europe to Argentina. Now Met 52 is widely used in France to control Phylloxera. I'm feeling like I'm about to blow up the Death Star with this shit. A New Hope. Anyway, I got some mixed up so we'll see the score. I have seen mad root aphid destruction. If these plants are alive in a week or two, then the Met 52 works. Because remember, I'm stopping all other treatments. The way the Met works is this: Anisopliae Metharizium strain F52 is a mold spore, in this case applied to cereal grain. Once an insect comes in contact with it, its infected and dies in 3 to 5 days. These infected insects infect any other insects that they come in contact with. Supposedly. That's what this test is all about. Let's see what the truth is.

Altimood- Damn bro thanks for pulling up the slack for me here. Loving your input. Stoked to see your results unfold. Thank you so much. Yup to everything you just said. I am running it on 60 plants in soil right now. A few weeks will tell the tale. I am meeting our Biologist friend again here soon and he is stoked we were able to get ahold of the met and throw up tests.

You can't buy it anywhere in the US right now. We had a hell of time getting it. If it works then you will be able to get it at local shops ASAP. This spore appears to be very good at killing this particular bugger:):):)

 

[Onespark]

Hey Altimood - you running 3ml H2o2 or stopping that? I am running the H2O2 still.

P.S. The Exciter gets them down for one week max. They are going into stasis when the P hits. They come out of it in ONE WEEK and get back to biz. I have run that for six months and it is not killing them at all. They will get ahead of the Exciter. Adapt to it. Then they will swim in it and laugh at you. Just my experience with this little army.

 

[altimood]

Hey Altimood - you running 3ml H2o2 or stopping that? I am running the H2O2 still.

P.S. The Exciter gets them down for one week max. They are going into stasis when the P hits. They come out of it in ONE WEEK and get back to biz. I have run that for six months and it is not killing them at all. They will get ahead of the Exciter. Adapt to it. Then they will swim in it and laugh at you. Just my experience with this little army.

I was hoping to get some input on this, too. I have never ran h202 prior to this grow. I have been told it kills everything in the root zone as far as beneficials so I quit running it for the Met. But I am running it in everything without Met 52 in hopes of retaining healthier roots while dealing with root aphids. Desperate times call for desperate action. I have been using Hygrozime on some stuff but I feel like the h202 might promote healthier roots in the battle I'm in. DM Zone in the UC buckets for sure with the phyllox. Don't know why but it seems to keep them at bay.

 

[phenotyper]

Hey Altimood - you running 3ml H2o2 or stopping that? I am running the H2O2 still.

P.S. The Exciter gets them down for one week max. They are going into stasis when the P hits. They come out of it in ONE WEEK and get back to biz. I have run that for six months and it is not killing them at all. They will get ahead of the Exciter. Adapt to it. Then they will swim in it and laugh at you. Just my experience with this little army.

Christ, hopefully with Spectracide, Merit 75, and ExciteR, I'll stand a chance...


If you do bring the Met52 to the states, try to charge a fair price : )

 

[altimood]

MET 52 infected insect

I hope my root aphids look like this. I'll post a pic if they do, but this is what's supposed to happen...

Found this pic by searching "Metharizium Anisopliae strain f52"
Then see images.

It should do this to fungus gnats and their larvae, too in theory...
I always have a gazillion fungus gnats with my root aphids. They all love rotting roots.