UNITED
STATES
ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION
AGENCY
WASHINGTON,
D.
C.
20460
OFFICE
OF
PREVENTION,
PESTICIDES
AND
TOXIC
SUBSTANCES
Memorandum
SUBJECT:
Use
of
Disulfoton
on
Bell
and
Pimento
Peppers
(Barcode
D278640)

FROM:
Colwell
A.
Cook,
Entomologist
Herbicide
and
Insecticide
Branch
Istanbul
Yusuf,
Econo
mist
Economic
Analysis
Branch
Biological
and
Economic
Analysis
Division
(7503C)

THROUGH:
David
Brassard,
Senior
Entomologist
Arnet
Jones,
Chief
Herbicide
and
Insecticide
Branch
Arthur
Grube,
Senior
Economist
David
Widawsky,
Acting
Chief
Economic
Analysis
Branch
DATE
OF
BEAD
PEER
REVIEW:
October
31,
2001
TO:
Christina
Scheltema,
Chemical
Review
Manager
Betty
Shackleford,
Chief
Reregistration
Branch
3
Special
Review
and
Reregistration
Division
(7508C)

CC:
Denise
Keehner,
Director
Biological
and
Economic
Analysis
Division
Introduction
Special
Review
and
Reregistration
Division
has
requested
that
the
Biological
and
Economic
Analysis
Division
(BEAD)
examine
the
use
of
d
isulfoton
on
sw
eet
pepp
ers
and
pim
entos
in
resp
onse
to
an
inq
uiry
from
the
C
alifornia
Pepper
Commission.
The
Commission
claims
that
use
of
disulfoton
on
sweet
peppers
and
pimentos
is
the
same
as
on
chili
peppe
rs.
BEAD
investigate
d
the
claim
an
d
the
results
follo
w.

Summary
Produc
tion
practice
s
and
pest
co
ntrol
of
bell
pe
ppers
and
pimentos
a
re
the
same
fo
r
chili
pepp
ers.
Appro
ximately
equal
acreages
of
bell
and
chili
peppers
in
California
are
treated
with
disulfoton.
Application
of
disulfoton
is
shank
injected
of
the
liquid
formulation
as
a
side­
dress
when
the
plants
are
4­
5
weeks
old.
The
primary
insect
pest
on
peppers
is
the
green
p
each
aphid
which
also
transmits
a
mo
saic
viral
diseas
e
that
kills
the
plants.
Background
Peppers
Bell
or
sweet,
chili
or
hot,
and
pimiento
peppers
are
Capsicum
annuum,
L.
All
domesticated
peppers
are
varieties
of
C.
annuum.
There
is
a
w
ide
variety
of
fruit
co
lor
and
sha
pes.
The
bell
or
swee
t
pepper
h
as
a
large
blo
cky
fruit
with
3
or
4
lobes
and
is
harvested
as
mature
green
fruit.
Many
colors
of
fruit
have
been
introduced
into
the
commercial
markets.
Chili,
chile,
hot,
cayenne
peppers
are
tapered,
slender,
thin
walled
and
highly
pungent.
Chili
peppers
are
usually
harveste
d
when
the
fru
it
is
red.
Pimiento
(pimento)
are
large,
co
ne­
or
heart­
sha
ped,
thick­
wa
lled
fruit
usually
are
not
p
ungent
and
harvested
w
hen
fully
red
(R
ubatzky
and
Yamaguchi,
1997).

In
2000,
the
US
harvested
70,650
acres
of
bell
peppers,
California
harvested
41%
of
the
total.
In
2000,
the
US
harvested
3
1,400
a
cres
of
chili
pe
ppers,
N
ew
Mexico
harveste
d
57%,
and
Califor
nia
harvested
12%
o
f
the
total.
NASS
has
not
surve
yed
pimento
pepper
produ
ction.
Near
ly
2,000
ac
res
of
bell
pe
ppers,
ab
out
1,600
acres
of
chili
peppers,
and
37
acres
of
pimento
peppers
in
California
were
treated
with
disulfoton
in
1998.
New
Mexico
applies
nearly
4,400
lbs
of
disulfoton
to
its
peppers.
For
all
peppers
there
is
one
application
at
a
median
rate
of
2
lbs
ai/
acre
(2001
Agricultural
S
tatistics,
EPA
proprieta
ry
data).

Green
P
each
Aphid
In
bell
pep
pers,
the
prim
ary
insect
pest
d
riving
disulfoto
n
use
is
the
green
peach
ap
hid,
Myzus
persicae
(Sulzer).
This
insect
is
found
throughout
the
world
and
attacks
over
800
species
of
plants,
including
all
solanaceous
crops
such
as
peppers.
T
his
insect
vectors
50
plant
viral
diseases
(D
avidson
and
Lyon,
1987).
In
pepp
ers
it
transmits
a
mosaic
virus
that
rapidly
kills
the
plant.
This
aphid
prefers
shade­
grown
plants
(Davidson
and
Lyon,
1987);
therefore,
the
fo
ggy
Salinas
V
alley
is
prime
ha
bitat
as
also
pr
ovides
num
erous
alterna
tive
hosts.
Th
is
insect
is
notorious
for
developing
resistance
to
insecticides,
therefore
having
several
compounds
available
is
necessary
for
insecticide
res
istance
mana
gement.
Cu
rrently,
disulfoton
remains
efficac
ious
to
the
gre
en
peach
aphid.

Symphylans
The
garden
symphylan,
though
n
ot
an
insect,
is
be
coming
a
p
roblem
fo
r
peppe
r
growers
in
C
alifornia.
The
se
pests
feed
on
the
r
oot
systems
o
f
many
vegetables,
small
fruits,
and
speciality
crop
s
like
mint.
Con
trol
of
symphyla
ns
is
difficult
due
to
the
ir
vertical
and
la
teral
movem
ent
in
the
soil.
Som
e
control
m
ay
be
gained
by
a
2
to
3
w
eek
flood
in
the
spring
or
fall
or
by
tilling
the
soil
in
the
spring
(Berry,
1998).
The
former
is
impractical
in
most
situations
and
the
latter
is
not
po
ssible
in
reduc
ed­
or
no­
till
situatio
ns.

Chemical
Use
In
bell
and
pimento
peppers,
disulfoton
is
shank
injected
as
a
liquid
side­
dress
when
the
plants
are
around
4
to
5
weeks
old
(Fisher;
Chuck,
personal
communication).
Mr.
Chuck
said
that
growers
are
already
set­
up
with
closed
cabs
and
closed
systems
for
the
liquid
formulation
of
disulfoton.
He
has
no
idea
how
to
use
or
apply
the
granular
formulation.
He
is
conc
erned
ab
out
equipm
ent
costs
and
whether
the
gr
anules
would
be
efficacio
us
long
eno
ugh
to
protect
peppers
from
the
aphids
and
viral
disease
(Chuck,
personal
communication).

Other
compounds
registered
for
use
in
bell
peppers
for
green
peach
aphid
are
imidacloprid,
diazinon,
dimethoate,
malathion
and
pyrethrins
.
Neither
dia
zinon
nor
m
alathion
is
very
e
fficacious
aga
inst
the
green
p
each
aphid.
Dimethoate
is
frequently
used
and
much
less
costly,
but
in
some
areas
of
CA
and
NM
it
is
no
longer
effective
for
aphid
control.
Use
of
imidacloprid
has
been
increasing,
but,
again,
in
some
areas
of
CA
control
of
this
pest
has
been
less
than
satisfacto
ry.
Pyrethroid
s
do
not
fit
well
with
in
tegrated
pe
st
managem
ent
(IPM
)
strategies
since
th
ey
will
annihilate
the
p
redators
a
nd
parasito
ids
as
well.

Farm
Size
According
to
Mr.
F
isher,
most
of
the
members
of
the
CA
P
epper
C
ommission
farm
appr
oximately
20
0­
300
acres.
Bell
pep
pers
or
pim
entos
acco
unt
for
anywhe
re
from
50
to
100
ac
res.
Mos
t
growers
pla
nt
3
vegetab
les,
commo
nly
one
third
of
their
acreage
in
peppers,
one
third
in
lettuce
and
a
third
in
broccoli.
Nearly
50%
of
the
pepper
growers
use
commercial
applicators
to
apply
disulfoton
(Ludwig,
personal
communication).

Progress
The
California
Pep
per
Com
mission
was
fo
rmed
seve
ral
years
ago
in
response
to
pressure
fro
m
the
green
peach
ap
hid
and
the
mo
saic
virus.
Th
ey
have
bee
n
actively
supp
orting
resear
ch
to
identify
resista
nt
cultivars
to
the
m
osaic
virus.
Although
the
y
have
not
be
en
successful
in
a
ttaining
their
goa
ls,
they
are
interested
in
reducing
the
pesticides
use
d
in
their
industry
(Fish
er,
persona
l
communication).

References
Berry,
Ra
lph
E.
199
8.
Insects
and
Mites
of
E
conomic
Importa
nce
in
the
N
orthwest,
2
nd
ed.

Chuck,
Mike.
Pepper
Grower,
California.
Personal
communication
10/
18/
01.

Davidson,
Ralph
and
William
Lyon.
1987.
Insect
Pests
of
Farm,
Garden
and
Orchard,
eighth
edition.
John
Wiley
and
Sons,
New
York.

Fisher,
Glen.
Chair
CA
Pepper
Commission.
Personal
communication
10/
18/
01.

Ludwig,
Gabrielle.
Schr
amm
and
Williams,
A
ssociates.
Pe
rsonal
com
munication
10/
19/
0
1
and
10
/25/
01.

Rubatzky,
Vincent
and
Mas
Yamaguchi.
1997.
W
orld
Vegetables:
P
rinciples,
Production,
and
N
utritive
Values.
Chapman
and
H
all,
New
Y
ork.

2001
A
gricultural
Statistics.
N
ASS.
USDA.
