The management of diamondback moth and other crucifer pests Spinosad controls a range of lepidopteran pests in crucifers in Australia Paul Downard Dow AgroSciences (Australia) Ltd, Locked Bag 502 Frenchs Forest NSW 1640, Australia
[email protected] Abstract Spinosad is one of the most widely used products for control of diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella) in Australia. Since the launch of Success* Naturalyte* in 1999, it has rapidly gained wide acceptance in all crucifer growing areas of the country. This has occurred, not only because spinosad is highly effective against diamondback moth, but because it also controls several other important lepidopteran pests such as heliothis (Helicoverpa spp.), cabbage white butterfly (Pieris rapae), cabbage centre grub (Hellula hydralis) and cabbage cluster caterpillar (Crocidolomia pavonana) at rates which provide growers with excellent value for money. Spinosad is highly active against loopers (Chrysodeixis spp.) and affords some control of cluster caterpillar (Spodoptera litura) and onion thrips (Thrips tabaci). There is no diamondback moth resistance to spinosad in Australia, the product has a favourable toxicological profile and it is selective to a range of beneficial predators and parasitoids. The value of insect control is best gauged by assessing the quality of produce at harvest of the crop. In a small scale trial, a crop of broccoli infested with P. rapae, P. xylostella, S. litura and C. pavonana received a programme of six applications of spinosad at 7-10 day intervals. Spinosad at 48 g ai/ha resulted in 97.2% marketable heads, not significantly different (P>0.05) from the standard, prothiophos, at 750 g/ha which gave 100% marketable heads.