Field assessment of novaluron for sugarcane borer, Diatraea saccharalis (F.) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), management in Louisiana sugarcane

• Published in: Crop protection 2010-10, Vol.29 (10), p.1168-1176
• Main Authors: Beuzelin, J.M., Akbar, W., Mészáros, A., Reay-Jones, F.P.F., Reagan, T.E.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: aerial application; Arthropoda; biopesticides; Biorational insecticide; Chitin synthesis inhibitor; Crambidae; cyhalothrin; Diatraea saccharalis; Diatraea saccharalis (F.); field experimentation; Gryllidae; insect control; insect pests; Integrated pest management; internodes; Lepidoptera; nontarget organisms; novaluron; pest monitoring; pitfall traps; plant damage; plant pests; population density; Saccharum; soil arthropods; Sugarcane; tebufenozide
• ISSN: 0261-2194; 1873-6904
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cropro.2010.06.004

On-farm field experiments were conducted in 2004 and 2007 to assess the suitability of novaluron, a chitin synthesis inhibitor, for sugarcane borer, Diatraea saccharalis (F.), management in Louisiana sugarcane ( Saccharum spp. hybrids). Aerial insecticide applications reproducing commercial production practices were made when D. saccharalis infestation levels exceeded a recommended action threshold. In addition to decreased D. saccharalis infestations, 6.3 – 14.5-fold reductions in end of season injury, expressed as the percentage of bored sugarcane internodes, were observed in plots treated with novaluron. D. saccharalis control in novaluron plots was equivalent to ( P > 0.05) or better ( P  0.05) decreases in predaceous and non-predaceous soil-dwelling non-target arthropods were associated with insecticides. However, numerical trends for decreases in immature crickets associated with novaluron and gamma-cyhalothrin were recorded in 2007. Our data suggest that novaluron will fit well in Louisiana sugarcane integrated pest management.