EUP Evaluation of a Novel Insecticide for Lygus Control

Abstract

Lygus became the number one pest of cotton in 1998 with statewide losses of over $16 million in spite of individual costs to the grower of over $55/A for control. Selective technologies for whitefly and pink bollworm control reduce the number of broad spectrum sprays that incidentally control Lygus. Control of Lygus depends mainly on just two related chemical classes of insecticides, organophosphates and carbamates. Over reliance on such a limited diversity of chemical controls increases the risk of resistance. Further, FQPA threatens the future availability of many of our main stay chemical controls. The study reported here sought to investigate the commercial suitability of a new compound, Regent®, for the control of Lygus. This novel mode of action represents one of the few potential new tools under development for Lygus management. Under a federal Emergency Use Permit (EUP), Regent was tested against two standards of Lygus control (Orthene® and Vydate®) and an untreated check. In a test of unusually high Lygus densities, Regent provided excellent control of small (instars 1–3) and large (instars 4–5) Lygus nymphs and may provide marginally better control of adults than current standards. None of the tested agents provided quick control or knockdown of adults. Rather, adult levels were reduced over time, most likely as a result of prevention of the development of new adults via nymphal control. All three materials protected cotton producing yields significantly higher than the check. The Orthene treatment had the highest yield, though not significantly higher than the Regent treatment which was effectively sprayed one less time than the other compounds.