Neonicotinoid Insecticides for Ornamentals The Good, Bad and Ugly Catharine Mannion University of...

Neonicotinoid Insecticides for Ornamentals

The Good, Bad and UglyCatharine Mannion

University of Florida, IFAS Tropical Research and Education Center

Neonicotinoids Insecticides

• Use of these insecticides has grown considerably since the forerunner of the group (imidacloprid) was first introduced in the early 1990’s

• Seven neonicotinoid insecticides

• Acetamiprid

• Clothianidin

• Dinotefuran

• Imidacloprid

• Thiamethoxam

• Nitempyram

• Thiacloprid

Neonicotinoid InsecticidesWhat do We Know

• Systemic• Effective against sucking insects but also

some chewing insects• Rates tend to be lower than traditional

insecticides• Labeled as “Warning” or “Caution”• IRAC Mode of Action – 4A

Neonicotinoid InsecticidesWhat do We Know

• Act on the insect central nervous system• Mode of action is similar to that of nicotine• Both nicotine and neonicotinoids act on an

acetylcholine receptor; but neonicotinoids act on a unique receptor in insects making it less toxic to mammals which is unlike nicotine which is more selectively toxic to mammals

SPECIFICITY OF NEONICOTINOIDS FOR α4β2 NICOTINIC RECEPTORS

NeonicotinoidIC*50 nM Selectivity

RatioInsect Vertebrate

Acetamiprid 8.3 700 84Clothianidin 2.2 3,500 1,591Dinotefuran 900 >100,000 >111Imidacloprid 4.6 2,600 565Nicotine 4000 7 0.002*Concentration of neonicotinoid or nicotine that produces 50% inhibition of the nicotinic receptor (Tomizawa and Casida, 2005)

What are the Variables Associated with Successful Applications?

Type of Plant

Ecological Considerations (runoff, leaching, non-targets)

Growing Environment (container, field,

greenhouse, landscape, etc)

Application Method (foliar, drench broadcast,

injection, etc)

Target Pest(s)

What are the Variables Associated with Successful Applications?

How fast will it work?

How long will it last?

Speed of Uptake and Persistence

• Target pest differences

• Half-life of the insecticide (in soil and water)

• UV stability• Light intensity• Transpiration rate

• Acid dissociation constant (pKa)

• Octanol-Water Coefficient (Log P or Log Kow)

• Water solubility• Soil adsorption

UV Stability of Neonicotinoids

Data obtained from published EPA registration documents (R. Fletcher) Slide Credit: Presentation by C. Sclar, Longwood Gardens

pKa and Log P (Log Kow) Values for Neonicotinoids

Neonicotinoid (AI)

Acid Dissociation Constant Log P

Acetamiprid 0.7 0.8

Clothianidin 11.1 0.7

Dinotefuran 12.6 -0.64

Imidacloprid “weak base” 0.57

Thiamethoxam n/a -0.13

Slide Credit: C. Sclar; F. Byrne

Relative Water Solubility of Neonicotinoids

Cloth

ianid

in

Imid

aclo

prid

Aceta

mip

rid

Dinot

efur

an

Thiam

etho

xam

Slide information courtesy C. Sclar. Longwood Gardens

Summary of Characteristics

Neonicotinoid A.I.

pKa Log P(Log Kow)

Koc WaterSol.

Acetamiprid Low High Med. High

Clothianidin High High Med. Low

Dinotefuran High Low Low VeryHigh

Imidacloprid None? High High Low

Thiamethoxam None Low Med. High


Some Generalizations…

Neonicotinoid A.I.

Relative Speed of Uptake

Relative Rate of Persistence

Acetamiprid Fast Short – Mod.

Clothianidin Slow (?) Mod. – Long

Dinotefuran Fast Short – Mod (?)

Imidacloprid Slow (?) Long

Thiamethoxam Med(?) – Fast

Short – Mod. (?)


Acetamiprid

• Trade name: Tristar 30SG (Caution)• For use on ornamental and flowering

plants grown outdoors and in greenhouses, shadehouses and lathhouses

• Not for homeowner use• Application: Foliar only

Clothianidin• Arena 50WDG;

– Turfgrass, sod farms, landscape ornamentals, interiorscapes, and non-bearing fruit and nut trees in the landscape

– Drench, broadcast, foliar

• Aloft G or SC – contains clothianidin and bifenthrin– Turf and landscape ornamentals around residential,

institutional, public, commercial, and industrial buildings, parks, recreational areas, athletic fields and sod farms (specific labels for golf courses)

– Drench, broadcast, foliar

Dinotefuran

• Safari 20 SG; 2G• For greenhouse, nursery, interiorscapes and

outdoor landscapes• Application – foliar, broadcast, soil drench,

soil injection, micro-irrigation, drip irrigation, overhead irrigation, ebb and flood, trunk spray

Imidacloprid• Merit 75WP; 75WSP, 2F, 0.5G

– Commercial and residential landscapes and interiorscapes

– Foliar and soil applications

• Marathon II, 60 WP, G– Greenhouses, nurseries and interiorscapes– Foliar and soil applications

• CoreTect – Landscapes, interiorscapes, forested areas– Soil application

Imidacloprid• Discus

– Field and container nurseries– Combined with a pyrethroid (cyfluthrin)– Foliar, soil injection, soil drench

• Allectus SC – Turfgrass and landscape of residential lawns,

commercial, industrial, institutional, and recreational areas (Not golf courses or sod farms)

– Combined with a pyrethroid (bifenthrin)– Foliar, broadcast, drench, soil injection,

Thiamethoxam• Flagship 25 WG

– Greenhouses, lath and shadehouses, containers, field nurseries

– Foliar, broadcast, drench, chemigation,

• Meridian 25WG; 0.33G– Turfgrasses on golf courses, residential lawns, commercial

grounds, parks, playgrounds, athletic fields and sold farms and ornamentals plants in residential and commercial landscapes, parks, golf courses and interiorscapes

– Foliar, broadcast, drench, soil injection

Methods of ApplicationThere are numerous options on how to apply the neonicotinoids;

• Take advantage of the different methods• Take advantage of the different formulations• Fit the method of application for the site• The site and method needs to be on the label• Consider the methods that gets the needed result

with the least negative impact on the environment/non-targets

Ornamental Pest Management with Neonicotinoids

Key ornamental pests– Scales – Mealybugs– Whiteflies

– Thrips


Examples from South Florida1. Differences in efficacy

– Cycad aulacaspis scale– Asian citrus psyllid

2. Differences due to host stage– Diaprepes root weevil

3. Difference due to host plant – Lobate lac scale

4. Avoiding unnecessary applications– Ficus thrips

5. Soil versus drench– Ficus whitefly

6. Insecticide rate– Ficus whitefly

1. Examples of Differences due to Efficacy

• Cycad aulacaspis scale– Dinotefuran and acetamiprid were more efficacious than

imidacloprid

• Asian citrus psyllid– As foliar sprays, two neonicotinoid products that also

contained a pyrethroid and (Discus and Allectus) and thiamethoxam (Flagship) provided longer control than others testes

– Not much differences among products used as a drench– Longer control with drenches versus foliar application

Management of Cycad Aulacaspis Scale in Florida

• Pest of numerous cycads

• Fronds eventually become brown and desiccated; ultimately causing plant death

Pesticide Options

• Oils– Ultra fine horticultural Oil – Oganocide

• Insect growth regulators– Distance

• Foliar insecticides– Orthene– Malathion– Safari– TriStar

• Soil insecticides– Safari

Management of Cycad Aulacaspis Scale

Control

Merit-drench

Merit-foliarOrganocide

Distance -foliar

Dimethoate-drench

Dimethoate-foliar

Management of Cycad Aulacaspis Scale

Management of Asian Citrus Psyllid (Diaphorina citri) on Orange Jasmine

• Vectors citrus greening disease

• Pest of citrus and closely related plants

2nd spray application

Percent Mortality of Asian Citrus Psyllid on Orange Jasmine

2. Examples of Differences Due to Stage of Insect

• Diaprepes root weevil– Differences in efficacy of medium (5-6th instar)

larvae among 3 products (imidacloprid, imidacloprid + cyfluthrin, and dinotefuran; however, with larger larvae (9th instar), no difference

– One neonicotinoid (dinotefuran) provided control of adults when applied as a drench

Management of Diaprepes Root Weevil in Florida

• Major pest of citrus, sugarcane, ornamentals, root crops

• Regulatory risk – all stages are commonly spread on infested plant material

Recovered Live Diaprepes Root Weevil Larvae (5-6th instar)

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

4.5

5

Mea

n N

o.

Liv

e S

mal

l L

arva

e

Recovered Live Diaprepes Root Weevil Larvae (9th instar)

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

4.5

5

Mea

n N

o.

Liv

e L

arg

e L

arva

e

Percent Adult Mortality after Feeding on Foliage from Plants Treated with Insecticides

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Per

cent

Adu

lt M

orta

lity

Control

Talstar

Marathon

Discus

Safari

3. Examples of Differences Due to Stage of Insect

• Lobate lac scale– efficacy between two neonicotinoids was different

on two host plants

Management of Lobate Lac Scale in Florida

• A pest on more than 300 tropical and subtropical fruits and ornamentals

• Causes branch dieback and sometimes plant death

Management of Lobate Lac Scale in Florida

Drench application Foliar application

Evaluated 8 weeks after 1st application

UF/IFAS

4. Example of a Comparison with a Non-neonicotinoid and Avoiding

Unnecessary Applications

• Ficus thrips– No differences among products when populations

were low; – Similar efficacy with a non-neonicotinoid

insecticide

Ficus Thrips (Gynaikothrips uzeli)

Phot

os: U

F/IF

AS M

REC

• First noted in 2003 due to heavy damage on Ficus benjamina in south Florida

• Feeding causes sunken, reddish spots on leaves. Leaves tend to curl and fold inward.

5. Examples of Differences Due Method of Application

• Ficus whitefly– Soil applications provided longer control

Management of Ficus Whitefly (Singhiella simplex) in Florida

• New continental record

• Causes severe leaf drop; branch dieback

Ficus Whitefly• “Panic situation”• Continuing to spread in the landscape and

nurseries• Management – Nursery

• Established whitefly program• Management – Landscape

– Homeowner (over-the-counter products)– Commercial applicators– High potential for overuse– Potential for disruption of natural enemies

Control of Ficus Whitefly

Control of Ficus Whitefly Soil and Foliar Applications

6. Example of Differences Due Rate of Application• In this situation, there were no differences in

the two products tested or in the rate that was used of each product

Exotic Soft Scale (Hemiptera: Coccidae)

• 2008 – Reported from Monroe County on croton

• Continues to spread and now found in several southern Florida Counties

• New to science; it is has been described as a new genus and species

• Hosts – Numerous ornamental and fruit host ; many native plants in Florida

Photo: H. Glenn, UF/IFAS

Control of Croton Scale


• Very useful, important group of compounds• No, they do not always work• Consider the differences among the different ai’s,

formulations, and methods of application and use to your advantage

• Recognizing– When, where and how to use them– Recognizing “added” benefits– Manage the “popularity” of these products– Recognizing situations for overuse or misuse

• http://trec.ifas.ufl.edu/mannion

• http://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/lso/IAWG/

• http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/• http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/• Pest Alerts

– University of Florida (http://extlab7.entnem.ufl.edu/pestalert/)

– DOACS (http://doacs.state.fl.us/~pi/enpp/pi-pest-alert.html)

Web Resources

Catharine MannionResearch and Extension Specialist

Ornamental Entomology

University of Florida, IFASTropical Research and Education Center

18905 SW 280th StreetHomestead, FL 33031

[email protected]

http://trec.ifas.ufl.edu/mannion

Neonicotinoid Insecticides for Ornamentals The Good, Bad and Ugly Catharine Mannion University of...

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