Efficacies of low- to high-volume (960-10 700 litre ha− 1) citrus sprayers for applying petroleum spray oil to control chinese wax scale

Petroleum spray oil (2, 4 and 6% in water) was applied to Valencia orange, Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck, for the control of Chinese wax scale, Ceroplastes sinensis del Guercio, using a low-volume ( <2000 litre ha^?1)air-blast (LV AB) sprayer, a low- to high-volume (L-HV) (up to 7000 litre ha^?1) sprayer with four fan-assisted rotary atomiser (FARA) spray heads mounted on a vertical tower, and a high-volume (>7000 litre ha^?1) oscillating boom (HV OB) sprayer. The most effective sprayer was the L-HV FARA sprayer. The most cost-effective treatment was a 20 ml litre^?1 (60 litre oil ha^?1) spray applied at 3000 litre ha^?1 by the L-HV FARA sprayer. It gave mortality equivalent to a standard 20 ml litre^?1, 10 700 litre ha^?1 spray (214 litre oil ha^?1) applied by the HV OB sprayer but with 72% less spray and significantly less oil deposited per cm² of leaf area. Equivalent or significantly (P = 0·05) higher mortality than that given by the 10 700 litre ha^?1 HV OB spray was given by the 40 ml litre^?1, 3000 (120 litre oil ha^?1) and 60 ml litre^?1, 2180 and 3000 litre ha^?1 (130·8 and 180 litre oil ha^?1) L-HV FARA sprays, but the 60 ml litre^?1 sprays deposited more oil per cm² than the 20 ml litre^?1 HV OB spray and were considered to be potentially phytotoxic. The least effective sprayer was the LV AB sprayer, which applied a 60 ml litre^?1 spray (57·6 litre oil ha^?1) at 960 litre ha^?1. Linear relationships were established for Chinese wax scale mortality, transformed using an angular transformation (arcsin proportion), versus log₁₀ spray volume for the 20, 40 and 60 ml litre^?1 sprays applied by L-HV FARA at 1260,2180 and 3000 litre ha^?1, mortality versus log₁₀ μg oil cm^?2 and log₁₀ μg oil versus log₁₀ volume of oil sprayed.     

Studies on very-low volume (VLV) water-based sprays for the control of cotton pests

We evaluated, water-based very-low volume (VLV) sprays of various pyrethroids at different dosage levels, comparing these with ultra-low volume (ULV) sprays for the control of cotton pests in the Nampula province of Mozambique. The results showed that karate (lambda-cyhalothrin) 2.5% SG at a dosage level of 15 g a.i./ha applied as VLV gave a significantly higher yield than karate 0.8% ULV (28 g a.i./ha). Also, karate 3.75% WG (12 and 15 g a.i./ha) gave a similar yield to that of karate 0.8% ULV (28 g a.i./ha). Karate 5% EC (15 and 20 g a.i./ha) gave a yield similar to Karate 0.8% ULV (28 g a.i./ha). Baythroid (cyfluthrin) 5% EC at 15, 22.5 and 30 g a.i./ha gave a yield similar to baythroid 1.2% ULV (36 g a.i./ha). Bulldock (beta-cyfluthrin) 12.5% SC at dosage levels of 6, 9 and 12 g a.i./ha gave a similar yield to that using baythroid 1.2% ULV (36 g a.i./ha). In all four trials, water-based VLV sprays gave a yield of cotton and degree of pest-control similar to those obtained with the ULV formulations at comparatively lower dosage levels. Integrated with other pest management practices, these could play an important role in the cost effective management of insect pests of cotton on small-scale farms in many countries.     

Distribution and activity of spray deposits in an oak canopy following aerial application of diluted and undiluted formulations of Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner against the gypsy moth,Lymantria dispar L. (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae)

The distribution and biological activity of spray deposits resulting from aerial applications of diluted and undiluted Bacillus thuringiensis, ‘Dipel 64AF’ against the gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar L., were examined in oak stands in south-eastern Ontario, Canada. The sprays were applied by fixed-wing aircraft equipped with four ‘Micronair AU4000’ atomizers. Application of diluted formulation at 30 BIU ha^?1 in 6.0–6.4 litre generally resulted in a higher droplet density (10–28 cm ^?2 leaf) than application of undiluted product at the same dosage rate in 1.8 litre ha^?1 (4–10 cm ^?2). However, spray deposits of undiluted product with a volume median diameter (D_v.5) of 90–130 μm caused as much mortality of gypsy moth larvae in bioassays of sprayed foliage as deposits of diluted product with a D_v.5 of 150–350 μm despite a two- to three-fold reduction in droplet density. Our data suggest that by using fine spray atomization, undiluted application of these formulations can offer the same efficacy against gypsy moth as coarsely atomized sprays of diluted product.     

New trends in orchard spraying1

Since the early part of the century, a steady move in England towards lower volume spraying of orchards has coincided with the progressive introduction of improved spraying techniques. In recent years many growers have adopted very low volume (VLV) spraying (50 litre ha^-1) using spinning-disc nozzles with greatly reduced dose rates, often only 25% of the product label recommendation. On well managed farms, this method of spraying has been successful for several years and considerable savings have been made in pesticide use and labour for spraying. On other farms there have been pest and disease control problems but few growers have reverted to spraying at conventional volume or pesticide rates. Trials evidence from the UK and the Netherlands shows the VLV reduced dose-rate spraying technique to be generally less effective than conventional spraying but usually sufficiently effective for commercial purposes. In the Netherlands a compromise method of low volume spraying (150–200 litre ha^-1) is being adopted on the recommendation of research and advisory services. This method of spraying is gaining popularity in England. Unfortunately, the method of application stipulated on product labels is usually restricted to a minimum water volume and a pesticide dose per ha. It might be desirable for experimental work for registration purposes to be done to explore optimum application methods for individual pesticides. This information on labels, in a simple form, might lead to the more efficient use of pesticides as well as reflecting the range of application methods in use in the industry.     

Deposition of aerially applied tebufenozide (RH5992) on balsam fir (Abies balsamea) and its control of spruce budworm (Choristoneura fumiferana [Clem.])

A field trial was conducted in 1994 to determine the foliar deposit of tebufenozide (RH5992), applied aerially, and its efficacy against spruce budworm, Choristoneura fumiferana (Clem.). A commercial 240 g litre^-1 formulation of the insecticide (Mimic 240LV) was mixed with water, dyed with a tracer dye (Rhodamine WT) and sprayed with a light fixed-wing aircraft. Six application strategies were tested. Five used 70 g AI ha^-1 in a spray volume of 1 or 2 litre^-1 ha^-1 with single or double applications; the sixth was an unsprayed control. Results show that the spectra of the spray applications were, with one exception, fairly uniform. Volume and number median diameters ranged from 100 to 130 μm and 27 to 72 μm, respectively. Mean number of drops cm^-2 on Kromekote cards were <2·0 for strategies where either 1 or 2 litre ha^-1 were sprayed. Nevertheless no one strategy produced droplet densities that were significantly different (P<0·05) from the other strategies. Tebufenozide recovered from foliage averaged 2·5 to 5·9 μg g foliage^-1 when 1 litre ha^-1 was sprayed and 5·8 to 6·8 μg g foliage^-1 after 2 litre ha^-1 were sprayed. When a single application was the strategy used, the mean number of droplets cm^-2 and μg tebufenozide g foliage^-1 ranged from 1·2 to 1·4 and 2·5 to 5·9, respectively. With double applications, the same response parameters ranged from 0·3 to 1·9 and 2·5 to 6·8, respectively. Budworm population reductions (%) and the number of larvae that survived tebufenozide treatments were significantly different (P<0·05) from the controls. After strategies that used 1 litre spray ha^-1, mean percentage population reductions ranged from 61·4 to 93·6 whereas populations were reduced by 85·6 to 98·3% when 2 litre ha^-1 were sprayed. After double applications the mean percentage population reductions ranged from 93·6 to 98·3, but single application strategies resulted in mean reductions of 61 to 86%. Mean population reductions in the controls were 61%. The mean number of larvae per branch that survived spray strategies of 1 litre ha^-1 ranged from 1·3 to 7·4, and from 0·4 to 1·3 when 2 litre ha^-1 was the spray volume. In the controls an average of 10·2 larvae survived. With one exception, mean percentage defoliation in the treated areas was also significantly less (P<0·05) than that in the control. Mean defoliation in trees sprayed at 1 litre spray ha^-1 ranged from 40 to 62·8% whereas those treated at 2 litre ha^-1 had mean defoliation levels from 31·5 to 62·8%. In contrast, average defoliation in the controls was 92·1%. When a single application was the spray strategy, mean defoliation ranged from 31·5 to 62·8%. These data imply that a double application of tebufenozide at 70 g in 2 litre ha^-1 was the most efficacious strategy. However, analyses of the data also show that the primary influence on deposits and defoliation was interactions between number of applications and spray. Nevertheless the two independent variables acted without significant interactions when influencing percentage reductions of spruce budworm populations. © 1998 SCI     

Effect of Formulation and Application Method on the Efficacy of Aerial and Submerged Conidia of Metarhizium flavoviride for Locust and Grasshopper Control

A study was carried out to investigate the relative infectivity of aerial and submerged conidia of Metarhizium flavoviride to Schistocerca gregaria and Zonocerus variegatus. The effect of formulation and application method on initial infectivity and field persistence of these conidia was investigated. Strain IMI 330189 was highly virulent to S. gregaria but showed relatively low virulence to Z. variegatus. Direct contact with conidia from the initial spray application resulted in 100% mortality of S. gregaria for all formulation and application combinations. The mean survival time of infected locusts was significantly shorter for treatments using a knapsack sprayer containing submerged conidia in water plus 10 ml litre⁻¹ ‘Codacide’™ (seven days), than treatments with aerial conidia in oil using ULV techniques (8.9 days) or submerged conidia in modified (water plus adjuvants) ULV (MULV) (nine days) or in water-based (VLV) applications (9·3 days). Both aerial and submerged conidia persisted long enough in the environment to effect significant mortality via secondary pick-up of spray residue from vegeta-tion. Persistence was greatest in the ULV and MULV treatments, where the oil component of the formulations provided greater protection of the conidia from environmental stresses. The consequences of secondary pick-up of conidia from the different treatments on total mortality from a single application were examined using a simple host–pathogen model. This predicted that the ULV treatment would be much more effective than the other treatments under conditions where direct contact with the spray was limited. The results of these investigations are discussed in the context of development of optimum spray strategies for control of locusts and grasshoppers, and other pests, under different environmental conditions.     

Disappearance of carbosulfan residues in peaches

The disappearance kinetics of the carbamate insecticide, carbosulfan, applied at 2 kg AI ha^?1 (‘Marshal’ 250 g litre^?1 EC) in peaches was studied. Degradation took place in two consecutive stages (0–28 and 28–57 days), with half-lives of 7.4 and 17.5 days, respectively. The residues obtained 57 days after treatment did not exceed 0.2 mg kg^?1. When treatments were carried out 30, 21 and 14 days before the probable date of harvest (date of fruit maturation) with two doses (1.0 and 2.0 g formulated product litre^?1) and two volumes applied (750 and 1500 litre ha^?1), the residual levels detected were between 0.122 mg kg^?1 (30 days before harvest) and 0.4 mg kg^?1 (14 days before harvest). The major metabolite, carbofuran, was never detected above its determination limit of 0.004 mg kg^?1 throughout the whole study.     

Influence of temperature on physical properties of non-aqueous pesticide formulations and spray diluents: Relevance to u.l.v. applications

The viscosity, surface tension and volatility of a range of ultra-low-volume (ULV) spray diluents and pesticide formulations were measured at 5°C and 20°C. For u.l.v. application of 1.0 to 1.5 litre ha^?1 through conventional boom and nozzle systems or rotary (Micronair) atomisers, it is concluded that the spray medium should have a viscosity of ?30 mPa s at 20°C. The surface tension values covered only a narrow range and showed little temperature dependence. There was no clear optimum and all surface tensions within the range measured would appear to be acceptable for ULV applications. The volatility factor, 1/(A.T_1/2), where A represents the percentage of non-volatile material in the spray mixture and T_1/2, the half-life (minutes) of evaporation, should be <40 times; 10^?5.     

Targeting Cydia pomonella (L.) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) adults with low‐volume applications of insecticides alone and in combination with sex pheromone

BACKGROUND: Studies surveyed the toxicity of several insecticides against adult codling moth, Cydia pomonella (L.), and examined the field effectiveness of applying low‐volume (12 L ha^?1) sprays alone or in combination with a microencapsulated (MEC) sex pheromone formulation. RESULTS: Neonicotinyls, organophosphates and synthetic pyrethroids significantly reduced fecundity at concentrations nearly 100‐fold lower than their maximum labeled field rate. Field studies in 2005 demonstrated that six applications of esfenvalerate resulted in > 90% reduction in fruit injury versus the untreated check. The addition of the MEC pheromone formulation did not further improve control. Five sprays of esfenvalerate, phosmet and acetamiprid all significantly reduced levels of fruit injury compared with the untreated control in 2006. Esfenvalerate and acetamiprid mixed with the MEC pheromone significantly reduced fruit injury compared with the MEC‐only treatment. Significant increases in pest and decreases in predator mite densities occurred in plots treated with esfenvalerate in both years. Low‐volume sprays of phosmet and acetamiprid did not disrupt mites. CONCLUSION: Low‐volume insecticide sprays can effectively manage codling moth and are less disruptive of integrated mite management. Developing an effective ‘attract and kill’ technology with this approach will require optimization of the attractant(s) to maximize moth exposure to insecticide residues. Published 2010 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Off-target glyphosate from aerial silvicultural applications,and buffer zones required around sensitive areas

Off-target glyphosate deposits were measured downwind of aerial silvicultural applications which used D8-46 hollow-cone hydraulic nozzles, ‘Micronair’ AU 5000 rotary atomisers, and the ‘Thru Valve Boom’ (030), with volume application rates of 35, 20 and 20 litre ha^?1 respectively, and a glyphosate application rate of 2·1 kg ha^?1. Crosswind spray lines were released 10 m above ground level over a short forest canopy, from a fixed-wing aircraft flying at 45 m s ¹ in atmospheric boundary layers with average wind speeds and air temperatures of 2·2-3·7 m s^?1 and 8-23°C at release height. Ground sheets and artificial foliage clusters were exposed at downwind distances of between 50 and 300 m. Glyphosate deposit measurements at various downwind distances (x) were fitted with non-linear regression lines; deposits were attenuated at rates inversely proportional to x at powers of 1·3-2·3. For a particular trial, deposits on ground sheets and artificial foliage were generally similar, and ranged between 19 and 0·04 mg m^?2 over the sampling distances used. For 100-ha applications the estimated buffer-zone widths around water bodies were less than 50 m, whereas those around non-target vegetation ranged between 75 and 1200 m, depending on the application method and the meteorological conditions.     

Effect of ammonium sulphate and related salts on the phytotoxicity of dichlorprop and other herbicides used for broadleaved weed control in cereals

In glasshouse experiments, additions of 10–100 g 1^?1 ammonium sulphate enhanced the phytotoxicity to broadleaved weeds and cereals of several water-soluble herbicides applied post-emergence in 75–300 1 ha^?1 with hydraulic nozzles. Studies with dichlorprop potassium salt and chickweed Stellaria media (L.) Vill. examined interactions between ammonium sulphate and environmental, application and formulation factors. Simulated rainfall immediately after spraying greatly reduced dichlorprop activity, whether or not ammonium sulphate was present. However, when there was an interval of 2–24 h between spraying and rainfall, the additive increased phytotoxicity. Surfactants tended to reduce dichlorprop phytotoxicity to Stellaria media, both in the presence and absence of ammonium sulphate. Certain other inorganic salts including sodium sulphate also enhanced phytotoxicity. Applications by rotary atomizer in very low spray volume (15 1 ha^?1, 250–280 μm drops) were less effective than conventional 150 1 ha^?1 applications. When very low volume application was used, addition of ammonium sulphate or nitrate tended to reduce activity further. In the field, ammonium sulphate significantly increased the effects against weeds of a commercial dichlorprop potassium salt formulation applied conventionally in 200 1 ha^?1 spray volume. Neutralized phosphoric acid had a similar effect but a mixture of this additive and ammonium sulphate reduced phytotoxicity. Both additives slightly increased dichlorprop injury to barley.     

Pedestrian sprayers: equipment for ultra-low and very-low volume spraying1

Plant protection products often need to be applied to small areas, inaccessible to vehicular equipment, hence the need for manually carried equipment. While there are lever-operated knapsack and compression sprayers using conventional hydraulic nozzles, reduced-volume applications have been developed in combination with the use of rotary atomizers to provide a narrow droplet spectrum. Most of the initial development of these hand-carried battery-operated spinning disc sprayers was for their use in the semi-arid tropics to apply insecticides to cotton in the absence of plentiful water supplies. This continues to be the main market for these sprayers, although the trend recently has been away from oil-based ultra-low volume formulations to very-low volume spraying (typically 5-1 5 litre ha¹) of water-based formulations to reduce costs and allow greater flexibility in choice of insecticide in integrated pest management programmes. Changes in equipment design have been made to suit this change in spray volume and formulation. Air-assisted sprayers have also been used in glasshouses. Subsequent development of rotary atomizers operated at slower speeds has led to the equipment being used for herbicide application. especially in forestry and urban situations where low weight of equipment and drift reduction have been important considerations. Formulations prepacked in containers to connect directly to the sprayers have been used to reduce operator contamination.     

Effect of neem cake on persistence of diazinon and endosulfan in paddy soil

Experiments were carried out to study the influence of two types of neem cake (solvent-extracted, NC-I and expeller-extracted, NC-II) on the persistence in soil of diazinon and endosulfan applied as commercial formulations. It was found that both types of neem cake applied at 10, 20 or 30 g ha^-1 prolonged the period of degradation as compared with soils without neem cake amendment, and hence increased the persistence of the insecticides. There was little difference in the effect of the two types of neem cake. Treatment of the soil with insecticide 10 days after amendment with neem cake did not lead to any increase in persistence; for a good response, treatment of soil with insecticide and with neem cake must be done at the same time. © 1998 SCI.     

绿僵菌油剂防治东亚飞蝗田间试验

20 0 2年在天津大港以绿僵菌LA06油剂防治东亚飞蝗进行了田间试验。绿僵菌分生孢子系在实验室采用常规双相产孢系统 ,在大米固体培养基上培养产生。油剂用V(大豆油 )∶V(煤油 ) =3∶7配制。试验区选用蝗蝻相对不易迁出迁入的高密度地带 ,3龄蝗蝻占 90%,成点片状密集分布。超低量喷雾 1hm2 喷施绿僵菌油剂1.5L ,含绿僵菌干粉48g ,其分生孢子含量为1.37×10¹²个。药效调查采用全区密度级别估测法调查试验区虫口密度变化 ,并以笼罩法试验作为旁证。结果表明 ,在施药后 6～9d蝗蝻种群急剧减少 ,第 18天虫口减退率达 81.1%。田间防治与笼罩试验结果一致     

Spray deposit patterns and persistence of diflubenzuron in some terrestrial components of a forest ecosystem after application at three volume rates under field and laboratory conditions

Spray deposit patterns and persistence of diflubenzuron [1-(4-chlorophenyl)- 3-(2,6-difluorobenzoyl)urea] in white pine (Pinus strobus L.) and sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.) canopies, forest litter and soil were studied after aerial application of a 250 g kg^?1 wettable powder formulation, ‘Dimilin® WP-25’, at 70 g active ingredient (a.i.) ha^?1, using three volume rates (10, 5 and 2.5 liters ha^?1) over three blocks in a mixed forest near Kaladar, Ontario, Canada, during 1986. Spray droplets were sampled at ground level using ‘Kromekote®’ cards, and diflubenzuron deposits were collected on glass plates. Droplets were the largest (with a volume median diameter of 250 μm) at the 10 liters ha^?1 rate, resulting in the highest number of droplets per cm² on the Kromekote cards and deposits of diflubenzuron on glass plates. Deposits on foliage, litter and soil were also correspondingly the highest. At the 5.0 and 2.5 liters ha^?1 rates, volume median diameter values were smaller (195 and 150 μm, respectively) and deposits on the substrates were markedly lower. In the spray block that received 10 liters ha^?1, diflubenzuron persisted in foliage as long as 120 days after treatment, but it lasted for only about a week in forest litter and soil samples. At 5 and 2.5 liters ha^?1, diflubenzuron failed to persist in foliage as long, and residues in litter and soil, which were barely above the quantification limit, persisted only for a few days. Laboratory studies, conducted under constant meteorological conditions using different droplet-size spectra, showed that deposit levels were not affected when the volume median diameter of the spray cloud decreased from 253 μm to 145 μm, but were markedly reduced as this progressively decreased from 92 to 37μm. The dissimilarities between the field and laboratory findings were attributed to meteorological and other factors influencing droplet deposition on tree canopy in aerial applications of pesticides over forests.     

Pirimiphos-methyl applied to spanish citrus trees: Residue decay and final residue levels at harvest time in precocious fruits

Pirimiphos-methyl [O-(2-diethylamino-6-methylpyrimidin-4-yl) O,O-dimethyl phosphorothioate], the active ingredient in ‘Actellic 50E’ (ICI PLC, Plant Protection Division) insecticide formulation, was field-applied at a rate of 7.5 kg a.i. 6000 litres^?1 ha^?1 to Spanish mandarin, orange and lemon trees growing in the main production areas (provinces of Castellón, Valencia, Alicante and Murcia). Dissipation curves over a 28-day post-application period, as well as the final residue levels at the harvest-time in precocious fruits, were determined in order to assist in the setting of legal fruit tolerances and harvest withholding periods. In all cases, residue decay could be fitted to two consecutive first-order processes. Final residue levels at harvest-time (the first fortnight of October) in precocious fruits, as a result of one, two or three sprays at the usual application dates (the first fortnight of June and/or September) were, respectively: for Clementina mandarins 0.05, 0.57 and 0.72; for Satsuma mandarins 0.09, 0.55 and 0.73; and for Navelina oranges 0.08, 0.25 and 0.46 mg of pirimiphos-methyl kg^?1. The data indicated that starting from the seventh post-application day, pirimiphos-methyl degraded much more slowly in lemons growing in Alicante than in those growing in Murcia. It was speculated that this difference could be due to variations between the local field climates, or to a severe water stress, suffered by the orchard in Murcia as the result of a lack of irrigation water.     

Disposition kinetics,cytotoxicity and residues of fenvalerate in tissues following oral administration to goats

Disposition kinetics in goats of fenvalerate [(RS)-α-cyano-3-phenoxybenzyl (RS)-2-(4-chlorophenyl)-3-methylbutyrate] were studied after oral administration at 5 mg kg^?1. The insecticide persisted in blood for up to 48 h. The V_d(area), t_1/2(β), and t_1/2(Ka), of fenvalerate were 12.14 (±0.39) litre kg^?1, 12.25 (±0.25) h and 0.63 (±0.11)h, while the AUC and Cl_B values were respectively 7.35 (±0.39) μg h ml^?1 and 0.68 (±0.04) litre kg^?1 h^?1. The residues in tissues reached a peak four days after insecticide administration and then started to decline. Maximum residue was found in the adrenal gland, followed by liver, kidney and intestine. Both GOT and GPT activities in kidney tissue, but only GPT activities in liver tissue had decreased significantly 4, 8 and 22 days post-administration. The fenvalerate did not produce any significant effects on serum acetylcholinesterase, cholesterol or protein levels in goats. Histopathological examination showed fatty changes in the periphery of lobule, congestion in sinusoid, haemolysis in central vein, necrosis and periportal fibrosis around the central vein of liver, and necrosis in kidney of fenvalerate-treated goats.     

Deposition,mobility and persistence of sprinkler-irrigation-applied chlorpyrifos on corn foliage and in soil

The insecticide chlorpyrifos (O,O-diethyl O-3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridyl phosphorothioate) was applied to sweet corn (Zea mays L.) by chemigation, injecting either an emulsifiable formulation or technical chlorpyrifos dissolved in soybean oil into 0·25 cm or 1·27 cm sprinkler-applied irrigation water. Half of the plots treated with chlorpyrifos in 0·25 cm water were immediately irrigated further with 1·27 cm water without chlorpyrifos. Half the plots treated with chlorpyrifos in 1·27 cm water were irrigated with another 1·27 cm water without chlorpyrifos 10 days later. Neither the volume of water used to apply the insecticide nor subsequent irrigation affected chlorpyrifos residues on the corn foliage or in the soil. Chemigation of the soybean oil solution resulted in three times more chlorpyrifos on the foliage than chemigation of the emulsion formulation, apparently because of greater adhesion of the oil droplets to the foliar surface. Chlorpyrifos residues in foliage declined with an initial half-life of one day. Chlorpyrifos on or near the soil surface declined with an initial half-life of approximately four days.     

Biological characterization of sulfoxaflor, a novel insecticide

BACKGROUND: The commercialization of new insecticides is important for ensuring that multiple effective product choices are available. In particular, new insecticides that exhibit high potency and lack insecticidal cross‐resistance are particularly useful in insecticide resistance management (IRM) programs. Sulfoxaflor possesses these characteristics and is the first compound under development from the novel sulfoxamine class of insecticides. RESULTS: In the laboratory, sulfoxaflor demonstrated high levels of insecticidal potency against a broad range of sap‐feeding insect species. The potency of sulfoxaflor was comparable with that of commercial products, including neonicotinoids, for the control of a wide range of aphids, whiteflies (Homoptera) and true bugs (Heteroptera). Sulfoxaflor performed equally well in the laboratory against both insecticide‐susceptible and insecticide‐resistant populations of sweetpotato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci Gennadius, and brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens (Stål), including populations resistant to the neonicotinoid insecticide imidacloprid. These laboratory efficacy trends were confirmed in field trials from multiple geographies and crops, and in populations of insects with histories of repeated exposure to insecticides. In particular, a sulfoxaflor use rate of 25 g ha^?1 against cotton aphid (Aphis gossypii Glover) outperformed acetamiprid (25 g ha^?1) and dicrotophos (560 g ha^?1). Sulfoxaflor (50 g ha^?1) provided a control of sweetpotato whitefly equivalent to that of acetamiprid (75 g ha^?1) and imidacloprid (50 g ha^?1) and better than that of thiamethoxam (50 g ha^?1). CONCLUSION: The novel chemistry of sulfoxaflor, its unique biological spectrum of activity and its lack of cross‐resistance highlight the potential of sulfoxaflor as an important new tool for the control of sap‐feeding insect pests. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry     

Chemical control of nodding thistle (Carduus nutans L.) in New Zealand pastures

Broadcast sprays of several herbicides were applied at different times of the year at several sites in Hawkes Bay, Canterbury and Otago. For good thistle control, date of application was more important than types of herbicide. In Hawkes Bay, applications made in April, May and June tended to be the most effective. Under slightly cooler Canterbury conditions, April, September and October were the best application dates. In the Otago trials, spring emergence of thistle seedlings meant that the most consistent results came from September or October applications. At all sites, applications made in July or August were relatively ineffective, probably because of low winter temperatures and slow thistle growth rates. MCPA (potassium salt) at 1·0 kg ha^?1 was the standard herbicide used in all experiments. MCPA at 0·5 kg ha^?1, MCPB (sodium salt) at 0·5 and 1·0 kg ha^?1 and 2,4-D at 0·5 kg ha^?1 did not kill as many thistles as MCPA at 1·0 kg ha^?1. MCPA at 1·5 kg ha^?1 and MCPB (butyl) ester + clopyralid at 0·5 + 0·015 or 1·0+0·03 kg ha^?1 gave consistently better control than MCPA at 1·0 kg ha^?1 2,4-D at 1·0 or 1·5 kg ha^?1, MCPB at 1·5 or 2·0 kg ha^?1, and MCPA + MCPB at 0·33 + 1·0 or 0·67 + 0·5 kg ha^?1 gave results very similar to MCPA at 1 kg ha^?1. Thistle control varied between sites and years. Some of the variation may have been due to different proportions of first and second year thistles present at spraying, and to variation in genetically determined herbicide susceptibility. Chemical control of thistles was short term only, because of dormant seeds in the soil.