Large-Scale Field Trials of Imidacloprid for Control of The
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PEST MANAGEMENT HORTSCIENCE 38(4):555–559. 2003. 5 mL/100 L (half-rate), were compared with endosulfan (350 g·L–1 a.i.) at the industry standard rate of 57 mL/100 L. The higher of Large-scale Field Trials of the two rates for imidacloprid corresponds to the discriminate dose (100% kill) of the Imidacloprid for Control of the insecticide against SCB (James and Nicholas, 2000). A water-only treatment was provided as Spined Citrus Bug control in all but one trial. Applications of the treatments were made with air-blast sprayers J. Mo1 and K. Philpot at a spray volume of 10 L/tree. Yanco Agricultural Institute, PMB Yanco, NSW 2703, Australia Trial-1 was conducted from 25 Oct. to 24 Nov. 2000 in Leeton. Lemon trees from three Additional index words. endosulfan withdrawal, alternative insecticide, beneficials, lemon, neighbouring citrus farms (separated by 1–2 Biprorulus bibax km) were used in this trial. The test trees were in six separate blocks (>100 m apart) containing Abstract. Four large-scale field trials were carried out in 2001 and 2002 in lemon or- from 60 to 453 trees. Fifteen plots of 60–100 chards in south-western New South Wales to assess the suitability of imidacloprid as a trees each were set up in the six lemon blocks. replacement for endosulfan in controlling the spined citrus bug (SCB), Biprorulus bibax Where more than one plot was set up in a Breddin (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae). The results showed that imidacloprid was at least single block, the boundaries were chosen in as effective as endosulfan in controlling SCB, even when it was applied at a rate cor- such a way that each plot contained a similar responding to half of its discriminate dose (100% kill). The application of imidacloprid number of trees and the adjacent plots were at did not reduce numbers of wasps and spiders foraging in tree canopies. However, imida- least 8 m apart. Three treatments were tested in cloprid was more toxic than endosulfan to parasitoids of the red scale and to lacewings. this trial: full-rate imidacloprid, standard-rate These negative effects can be minimised by timing the sprays in winter, when SCB adults endosulfan, and water control. The trial was congregate in neighbouring orange trees and the numbers of natural enemies of citrus designed as unbalanced incomplete random pests are generally low. blocks with each farm treated as a separate statistical block. There were 5 replicates per The spined citrus bug (SCB), Biprorulus stone fruits and stringent regulations have been treatment. bibax Breddin (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), is recently introduced for its use in other crops. The other three trials (Trial-2, Trial-3 an important pest of lemons and mandarins in Other currently registered chemicals for SCB and Trial-4) were not replicated. They were inland Australia (James, 1989). Both adults and control in citrus (e.g., malathion, supracide) conducted simultaneously between 12 Feb. to nymphs feed on the fruit, resulting in internal are broad-spectrum, which destroy virtually 13 Mar. 2001 in three separate citrus farms in staining, gumming, and fruit drop (Smith et al., all invertebrates in citrus orchards and create Griffith. The sizes of the plots were larger than 1997). A small number of bugs on a tree can conditions for dramatic pest resurgences (in- in Trial-1, averaging 0.21 ha (0.17–0.22 ha). cause a great deal of fruit loss. Hely et al.(1982) cluding SCB). Prior to development of SCB Trial-2 was conducted in two adjacent lemon provided a summary of the biology and ecology IPM, up to six applications of malathion/ blocks (94 and 245 trees). The larger block of SCB. The eggs are laid on leaves, fruit or supracide per season were often needed to was divided into two equally sized plots with twigs in rafts of 4–36. In southern Australia, control SCB. Serious outbreaks of scale a one-row (5 m) buffer. The smaller block was egg-laying starts in October and continues until insects, mealybugs and aphids also resulted assigned as a plot by itself. Three treatments, late March. After hatching, the insect passes from these treatments. full-rate imidacloprid, standard-rate endosul- through five nymph stages before entering the Viable alternatives to endosulfan are clearly fan, and water were randomly assigned to the adult stage. The life cycle takes 4–6 weeks in needed in anticipation of its withdrawal from three plots. Trial-3 was conducted in a single summer but may take as long as 10–12 weeks Australian horticulture. From 1997 to 2001, block of 237 lemon trees. A single row of in cooler months in the southern states. The a research project was carried out in south- orange trees (Washington) separated the block adults over-winter in aggregations on nearby western New South Wales investigating some into two equal size sub-blocks (114 and 123 non-lemon citrus trees or on their native host chemical and biological alternatives to man- trees). The two sub-blocks were assigned the desert lime Eremocitrus glauca. A male- age SCB. As part of this project, three new as two separate plots, with one plot treated produced pheromone is responsible for the generation insecticides known to be effective with half-rate imidacloprid and the other aggregation (Oliver et al., 1992). against hemiptera were evaluated: abamectin, with standard-rate endosulfan. Trial-4 was a Currently, control of SCB relies heavily fipronil, and imidacloprid. All three were found single block of 418 lemon trees divided into on the judicious use of endosulfan, an organo- to be highly toxic to SCB adults and nymphs three equal size plots with a one-row (5 m) chlorine compound. When used at a very low (James and Nicholas, 2000), but only imidal- buffer. Three treatments, full-rate imidaclo- rate (10–15 mL/100 L), endosulfan is very coprid achieved satisfactory control of SCB prid, standard-rate endosulfan, and water were effective against SCB but is harmless to most in a small-scale field trial (Nicholas, 2000). randomly assigned to the three plots. other invertebrates found in citrus groves, in- This paper reports findings from subsequent Data collection. One week before the cluding the natural enemies of SCB and other large-scale field trials comparing the relative applications, 10 rectangular quadrats (7 × 3 citrus pests (James, 1994). Unfortunately, it field performance of imidacloprid and endo- m) were set up on the orchard floor of each is inevitable that endosulfan will eventually sulfan in controlling SCB and their relative plot and raked clear of grass and debris. The be removed from use in citrus, as is the case impact on some important natural enemies of quadrats were positioned around the bases of in most other countries. In Australia, registra- major citrus pests. trees with the longer side parallel to the row. tion of endosulfan has been withdrawn from From the first day following treatment appli- Materials and Methods cations, the number of dead SCB adults and Received for publication 6 May 2002. Accepted for nymphs on the quadrats were counted daily publication 17 Oct. 2002. We wish to thank P. Morris, Trial description. Four large-scale field for three consecutive days. Other dead inver- J. Morris, F. Ciccia, F. Vilaata, and J. DeQuino for tebrates found each day on the quadrats were kindly provide us with the trial sites, and C. Bower trials were conducted from Oct. 2001 to for commenting on the draft version. This study is Mar. 2002 in lemon [Citrus limomum Risso. collected, identified to families and counted in funded by Horticulture Australia and levy from the (Eureka)] orchards in the Riverina region of the laboratory. Changes in the numbers of live Australian citrus industry. New South Wales. The test trees were 3.5–6 SCB adults and nymphs during the trials were 1Towhom reprint requests should be sent. Telephone, m tall and spaced at 5–7 m between rows and monitored by 0.5-h searches of the canopies 61-2-6951 2537; fax, 61-2-6951 2719; E-mail, 3–5 m within rows. Two rates of imidacloprid of the trial trees of each plot at 2-d before and [email protected] (200 g·L–1 a.i.), 10 mL/100 L (full-rate) and 7, 14, 21, and 28-d after the spray. HORTSCIENCE, VOL. 38(4), JULY 2003 555 14-7347, p555-559 555 6/29/03, 2:46:40 PM PEST MANAGEMENT The impact of treatments on the para- (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae), four ladybeetles numbers following the spray were also ob- sitoids of the red scale (Aonidiella aurantii (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), three wasps (Hy- served in the controls although at much lower (Maskell)), parasitoids of the SCB, and on menoptera: Ichneumonidae) and two spiders rates. The effect of imidacloprid on the live the abundance of parasitoids and predators (Arandeida: Salticidae). Most of the dead lace- adult population in Trial-4 cannot be assessed in tree canopies was assessed in the three wings (79%) were found in plots sprayed with as no adults were found in the treatment before nonreplicated trials. For the impact assess- imidacloprid. No dead beneficial insects or the spray. Pretreatment levels of the adults in ment on red scale parasitoids, 30 red scale spiders were collected from the ground quad- the other two treatments in this trial were too infested fruits were collected randomly rats in the three nonreplicated trials. low (3 per 0.5-h search) to allow meaning- from each plot 1 d before and 7, 14, 21, Effects on local SCB populations. Adult ful analysis. and 28 d after the spray.