Effects of flonicamid (Carbine) on Lygus hesperus feeding behavior
FMC Corporation, Princeton, NJ, USA
Correspondence: houston.joost@fmc.com
Flonicamid is a novel chemistry which causes permanent feeding cessation in some Homopteran and Heteropteran pests. In this study we used DC electrical penetration graph technique (EPG) to determine how quickly flonicamid affects the feeding behavior of Lygus hesperus. Lygus hesperus were placed on either an untreated greenbean or a greenbean treated with flonicamid at a rate of 0.099 ai kg/ha. Probing duration, probes with ingestion frequency, ingestion duration and percent of ingestion per probe of L. hesperus on the flonicamid treated greenbeans were all significantly reduced in a 6 hr trial. Lygus hesperus on flonicamid treated greenbeans ingestion duration was reduced by 50% (2189s to 1110s) in the first hour after exposure and reduced by 99% (2390s to 166s) in the second hour of the trial compared to L. hesperus on untreated greenbeans. Results indicate that L. hesperus feeding is inhibited within an hour of exposure to flonicamid.