Abstract
Conventional methods to control the onion maggot or onion fly, Delia antiqua (Meigen), have relied on in-furrow applications of the toxicant pesticide, chlorpyrifos. The objective of this research was to develop an onion ( Allium cepa L.) seed treatment that utilizes a new chemistry compound that is environmentally safe. Cyromazine is an insect growth regulator with a mode of action different from traditional pesticides used to control onion maggot. Cyromazine has low mammalian toxicity and is relatively nontoxic to other insects, including beneficials. High seed loading rates (50 g·kg -1 active ingredient) are required for optimal efficacy, and conventional slurry methods are inadequate to apply these high loading rates. Film coating and pelleting were performed at Cornell Univ. to apply cyromazine and a registered fungicide (a formulation of thiram and carboxin) to onion seeds. Results of field studies performed over several years revealed that stand losses due to the onion maggot ranged from ≈20% to 60%. Cyromazine applied by either film coating or pelleting decreased the loss by onion maggot from 1% to 8%, and efficacy was comparable to an in-furrow application of chlorpyrifos. Cyromazine was registered as a seed treatment and is commercially used in the northeastern and midwestern United States, where onion maggot is a serious pest. Field emergence was not negatively affected by cyromazine coated onto the seeds when onion seeds are sown in organic (muck) soils. There is other evidence, however, that cyromazine seed treatments may cause phytotoxicity to germination and seedling growth. Testing seed quality in sand or on roll towels revealed a high percentage of abnormal seedlings. Retarded root growth was observed in seeds treated with cyromazine, resulting in an increase in abnormal seedling classifications. A finely ground sphagnum peatmoss applied over the seeds in a roll towel test ameliorated the abnormal root growth symptoms, and seedlings had robust growth. Collectively, film coating and pelleting were effective delivery systems for the application of plant protectants required at time of sowing. Modification of the standard germination test was needed to accurately assess onion seed quality. Moreover, this project was successful due to a team effort of a university seed scientist and entomologists working with onion growers and industry. Future registrations on small acreage, high-value horticultural crops are envisioned to require similar multi-partner approaches. Chemical name used: N -cyclopropyl-1,3,5-triazine-2,4,6-triamine (cyromazine).
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Claims 9
Claim · model-written summary
Field stand losses due to onion maggot ranged from about 20% to 60%.
- Taxon
- onion
Allium cepae1 - Interactor
- onion maggot
Delia antiquae0pest - Outcome
- stand losses due to the onion maggote0
- Value
- ≈20% to 60%e0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.


Verbatim
e0“stand losses due to the onion maggot ranged from ≈20% to 60%.”
e1“onion ( Allium cepa L.)”
Claim · model-written summary
Film-coated cyromazine reduced maggot-related stand loss to 1% to 8%.
- Taxon
- onion
Allium cepae1 - Treatment
- Cyromazine applied by either film coating or pelletinge0
- Interactor
- onion maggot
Delia antiquae0pest - Outcome
- loss by onion maggote0
- Direction
- decreasede0
- Value
- 1% to 8%e0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.


Verbatim
e0“Cyromazine applied by either film coating or pelleting decreased the loss by onion maggot from 1% to 8%”
e1“onion ( Allium cepa L.)”
Claim · model-written summary
Cyromazine efficacy was comparable to in-furrow chlorpyrifos.
- Taxon
- onion
Allium cepae2 - Treatment
- Cyromazine applied by either film coating or pelletinge1
- Outcome
- efficacye0
- Direction
- comparablee0
- Comparator
- in-furrow application of chlorpyrifose0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
e0“efficacy was comparable to an in-furrow application of chlorpyrifos.”
e1“Cyromazine applied by either film coating or pelleting”
e2“onion ( Allium cepa L.)”
Claim · model-written summary
Cyromazine coating did not negatively affect field emergence in muck soils.
- Taxon
- onion
Allium cepae0 - Treatment
- cyromazine coated onto the seedse0
- Outcome
- Field emergencee0
- Direction
- not negatively affectede0
- Setting
- organic (muck) soilse0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
e0“Field emergence was not negatively affected by cyromazine coated onto the seeds when onion seeds are sown in organic (muck) soils.”
Claim · model-written summary
Seed quality testing found a high percentage of abnormal seedlings after cyromazine treatment.
- Taxon
- onion
Allium cepae2 - Treatment
- cyromazine seed treatmentse1
- Outcome
- abnormal seedlingse0
- Direction
- high percentagee0
- Setting
- sand or on roll towelse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
e0“Testing seed quality in sand or on roll towels revealed a high percentage of abnormal seedlings.”
e1“cyromazine seed treatments may cause phytotoxicity to germination and seedling growth.”
e2“when onion seeds are sown in organic (muck) soils.”
Claim · model-written summary
Cyromazine retarded root growth.
- Taxon
- onion
Allium cepae1 - Treatment
- treated with cyromazinee0
- Outcome
- root growthe0
- Direction
- Retardede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
e0“Retarded root growth was observed in seeds treated with cyromazine”
e1“when onion seeds are sown in organic (muck) soils.”
Claim · model-written summary
Peatmoss ameliorated abnormal root growth symptoms and yielded robust seedlings.
- Taxon
- onion
Allium cepae1 - Treatment
- finely ground sphagnum peatmoss applied over the seedse0
- Outcome
- abnormal root growth symptomse0
- Direction
- amelioratede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
e0“A finely ground sphagnum peatmoss applied over the seeds in a roll towel test ameliorated the abnormal root growth symptoms, and seedlings had robust growth.”
e1“when onion seeds are sown in organic (muck) soils.”
Claim · model-written summary
Film coating and pelleting were effective protectant delivery systems.
- Taxon
- onion
Allium cepae1 - Outcome
- effective delivery systemse0
- Comparator
- film coating and pelletinge0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
e0“film coating and pelleting were effective delivery systems for the application of plant protectants required at time of sowing.”
e1“when onion seeds are sown in organic (muck) soils.”
Claim · model-written summary
Standard germination testing required modification to assess onion seed quality accurately.
- Taxon
- onion
Allium cepae0 - Outcome
- Modification of the standard germination teste0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
e0“Modification of the standard germination test was needed to accurately assess onion seed quality.”
The same questions in other papers
cyromazine · Delia antiqua · Allium cepa (onion)Results agree
2 papers in the same direction as this paper
- positive
- positive
seed treatment · control · Allium cepa (onion)Positive and negative results
1 in the opposite direction
- negative
seed treatment · Delia antiqua · Allium cepa (onion)Results agree
4 papers in the same direction as this paper
- positive
- positive
- positive
1 paper more in this group
See all 5 papers →Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.