Pests like fall armyworms, chinch bugs, grubs and annual bluegrass weevil plague golf courses north, south, east and west. Quali-Pro recently launched Contrado insecticide, which can offer long-lasting insect pest control with a single application, thus reducing environmental impact at the same time.
With the active ingredient chlorantraniliprole, Contrado is registered for use in warm- and cool-season turf for control of many insect pests, including white grubs, turf caterpillars, billbugs, spittlebugs, annual bluegrass weevil, European crane fly and chinch bugs.
Chlorantraniliprole is an anthranilic diamide class (IRAC Group 28) insecticide and acts as a ryanodine receptor modulator that disrupts calcium ion regulation in insect muscle tissue. This leads to muscle paralysis and feeding cessation within hours of exposure, followed by death over several days.
In research, Contrado was shown to provide season-long pest control with a single, early season application of white grubs (Asiatic garden beetle, black turfgrass ataenius, European chafer, green June beetle, Japanese beetle, May/June beetles, northern masked chafer, oriental beetle and southern masked chafer), turf caterpillars (fall armyworms, sod webworms and cutworms) and billbugs.
Contrado’s mode of action offers the following benefits:
- Target specificity for key turfgrass pests with low toxicity to mammals and birds and minimal disruption of beneficial insect populations
- Low water solubility allows for prolonged residual activity in the soil and plant tissue and reduces the risk of runoff and leaching
- Systemic activity allows it to move from the roots through the xylem for full plant protection from above and belowground pests with one application
Superintendents can make targeted spring applications prior to aerifying, or before mowing and irrigation begins for the season.
In most locations, Contrado should be applied in April or May and watered in to move the active ingredient into the root zone and allow for systemic uptake.
When tank mixed with the active ingredient novaluron and applied early in the season, Contrado also provides control of bermudagrass mites and chinch bugs in warm-season turf.
Contrado is approved for use in 48 states (all except California and Alaska) and has a restricted use label in Connecticut, Hawaii, New York and Hawaii.