Farmers looking to establish linseed next spring can now use a key pyrethroid spray to manage flax flea beetle.

Premium Crops has secured an extension of authorisation for minor use (Eamu) from the Chemicals Regulation Division (CRD) of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) for the use of Lambdastar (lambda-cyhalothrin) on linseed.

See also: Linseed growers to benefit from pre-emergence herbicide approval

“The Life Scientific product is an effective insecticide against flax flea beetle in spring linseed,” says Premium Crops company agronomist Hannah Foxall.

“This approval increases the range of product containing the active lambda-cyhalothrin that are available to growers and helps broaden the spectrum of insecticides to reduce resistance risk.”

Flax flea beetle can hit spring-sown linseed crops, with symptoms being holes or notches in the cotyledons or first true leaves.

When three or more flax flea beetles are found on a 5cm row of linseed cotyledons, a pyrethroid insecticide may be necessary.

This follows the successful approval of the pre-emergence herbicide Katamaran (metazachlor + quinmerac).