AUSTIN - Agriculture Commissioner Susan Combs announced today that the Texas Department of Agriculture has been granted approval by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to issue a Section 18 specific exemption allowing the use of hexythiazox (Onager Miticide) on field corn in Texas to control the Banks grass mite (Oligonychus pratensis) and the two-spotted spider mite (Tetranychus urticae Koch).

Onager Miticide, manufactured by the Gowan Company, may be applied following all directions, restrictions and precautions on the EPA registered product label, as well as restrictions within the exemption notice. The exemption will be effective June 1, 2006, and will expire Aug. 31, 2006.

Applications will be made only by certified applicators, by licensed applicators or by persons under the direct supervision of licensed applicators.

Onager Miticide may be applied in the following Texas counties: Bailey, Borden, Carson, Castro, Cochran, Crosby, Dallam, Dawson, Deaf Smith, Floyd, Gaines, Gray, Hale, Hansford, Hartley, Hockley, Hemphill, Hutchinson, Lamb, Lipscomb, Lubbock, Lynn, Mitchell, Moore, Oldham, Ochiltree, Parmer, Potter, Randall, Roberts, Scurry, Sherman, Swisher, Terry, Wheeler and Yoakum.

For more information, contact your county Texas Cooperative Extension office or TDA at (512) 463-7544. A copy of the approval notice is located on the TDA Web site at www.agr.state.tx.us/pesticide/exemptions/onagernotice.pdf.

If you need additional information, please contact TDA at (800) TELL-TDA.