A new insecticide for management of Lygus hesperus in western U.S. crops
BASF Corporation, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
Correspondence: philip.munger@basf.com
Metaflumizone is a new active ingredient under development by BASF, which in research studies has demonstrated significant activity against important Lepidoptera, Coleoptera, Hemiptera, Hymenoptera, Isoptera, and Diptera. Metaflumizone belongs to a new chemical class of insecticides, the semicarbazones, which block the voltage-dependent Na+ channel of susceptible insects (SCBI, IRAC MoA Group 22B). Metabolic bio-activation of metaflumizone is not a pre-requisite for insecticidal activity. Metaflumizone is active primarily via ingestion. However, in laboratory studies mortality of Lygus hesperus was also observed when insects were treated post-topically with metaflumizone. In those studies, solutions prepared using an EC formulation of metaflumizone were more efficacious at 24 hours after treatment than those prepared using an SC formulation. In field studies with Lygus hesperus, foliar treatments of metaflumizone at 280 g ai/ha (EC and SC formulations), acephate (1.12 kg ai/ha), or flonicamid (98 g ai/ha) in cotton significantly increased seed cotton yields compared to yields in untreated plots. In order to maintain levels of L. hesperus below economic thresholds, four applications of metaflumizone (SC) were required; whereas, only two were needed of metaflumizone (EC), acephate, and flonicamid. Rotational treatment programs of metaflumizone (EC) /acephate, metaflumizone (EC) /flonicamid, and metaflumizone (EC) /flonicamid /acephate resulted in similar outcomes at harvest. In field trials on dry beans, treatments of metaflumizone (240 or 280 g ai/ha) and lambda- cyhalothrin (38 g ai/ha) significantly decreased seed damage, increased seed quality and dry bean yields compared to the untreated plots. Lambda-cyhalothrin was generally more effective than metaflumizone in reducing numbers of L. hesperus nymphs. In cotton, L. hesperus captured from metaflumizone-treated plots are alive, but not actively feeding /damaging the crop.
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