(Active substances: thiacloprid)

Biscaya is a systemic insecticide that provides you with control of pollen beetles in oilseed rape and mustard, aphids in broccoli/calabrese Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, carrots, parsnips, peas and potatoes and a reduction of damage by orange wheat blossom midge in wheat.

Why Biscaya?

Biscaya is the fastest acting anti-feedant aphicide and has a label recommendation for virus reduction in potatoes. It is particularly useful against aphids, midge and pollen beetles, even against strains that are resistant to some insecticide mode of actions.

Main advantages

It's possible to treat the whole field as there is no LERAP. Biscaya is the only product that can be used to tackle wheat blossom midge across the whole field.

• Controls all important aphids, including resistant strains
• Effective against pyrethroid resistant pollen beetle in oilseed rape
• New reduced viscosity oil dispersion (OD) formulation with high adjuvant levels to ensure good efficacy.
• No risk to bees when applied according to the label and can be applied to flowering crops
• Can be mixed with prothioconazole-containing fungicides when used on flowering crops of oilseed rape
• Excellent Integrated Pest Management (IPM) profile
• An even wider range of crops can be treated thanks to a number of SOLAs in addition to the label crops and pests

Getting the best from Biscaya

Apply Biscaya as pests approach thresholds.

Oilseed Rape: Control beetles as soon as threshold is reached during green to yellow bud stage:

Thresholds (beetles per plant)

Forward winter crops 15

Backward winter crops 5

Spring drilled crops 3

Potatoes: Best results are achieved by using it as the first and third sprays in programmes to target colonising (seed and ware) and on seed crops non-colonising aphids. In seed potato crops increasing emphasis is being placed on controlling non-colonising aphids, in this case alternate those treatments with Biscaya. Where Myzus persicae and Macrosiphum euphorbiae are migrating you should plan to alternate Biscaya with Plenum WG (pymetrozine) or Teppeki (flonicamid).

Wheat: Pheromone traps provide a helpful early warning. Finding 30 or more male midges per day in traps indicates a risk to crops in the following week, when females can be expected to be laying eggs. This is the cue to start checking crops at dusk for female midges, and to assess whether or not treatment is needed.

HGCA advised treatment thresholds are one midge per three ears in susceptible feed crops, and one midge per six ears in milling and seed crops.

Brassicas: In very difficult to cover brassica crops, such as Brussels sprouts, an adjuvant can improve the efficacy of Biscaya in the control of Brevicoryne brassicae. Applications are most effective before colonies form, and levels of control may be reduced where high, established populations are present. In such circumstances a follow-up aphicide application may be required.

Carrots and Parsnips: Apply as aphids start to build up in the crop, usually during May. Crops are most susceptible to damage during early growth and are vulnerable from the cotyledon stage.

Peas: For pea aphid control, apply as aphids start to build up in the crop. Application at early flowering (according to local warnings) gives reduction in damage from pea midge

Important things to remember

• Invert the product and shake before mixing in the spray tank.
• Half fill the spray tank with clean water, add the required amount of Biscaya with the agitation system in operation, and fill to the required level
• For induction bowls, half fill the bowl with water before adding Biscaya
• Wash out the container, add the washings to the spray tank and top up with clean water
• Total reliance on one pesticide will hasten resistance. Pesticides of different chemical types, and alternative control methods should be included in a planned programme
• Do not use in consecutive sprays
• Always apply Biscaya at the full recommended dose and in sufficient water volume
• Do not apply to wet foliage or if rainfall or irrigation is imminent
• Avoid drift to areas outside those being sprayed

Biscaya as part of a programme

Biscaya should always be used in conjunction with other insecticides of a different mode of action and never applied as consecutive treatments. This includes consideration of sequences involving seed or soil treatments followed by foliar sprays. Alternating insecticides with different modes of action is a recognised anti-resistance strategy.