The efficacy of spinosad against the western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis, and its impact on associated biological control agents on greenhouse cucumbers in southern Ontario

Abstract

Insecticides are the most commonly used tactic to control western flower thrips (WFT), Frankliniella occidentalis Pergande (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), on greenhouse cucumber. However, WFT has developed resistance to several of the insecticides presently in use. In addition, some of these insecticides adversely affect greenhouse biological control agents used to control WFT, resulting in subsequent pest resurgence. Therefore, there is a need to identify novel insecticides with unique modes of action for use in integrated pest management (IPM) programs to effectively control WFT with minimal impact on associated biological control agents. In laboratory bioassays conducted in 2001, immature and adult WFT and three associated greenhouse biological control agents: Amblyseius cucumeris Oudemans (Acarina: Phytoseiidae), Orius insidiosus Say (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae) and Encarsia formosa Gahan (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) were exposed to direct, direct/residual, and residual contact applications of the novel biopesticide, spinosad (Conserve  120 SC), and the industry standard for whitefly control, endosulfan (Thiodan  50 WP). In all three types of assay, spinosad was effective against immature and adult WFT life stages. It showed low toxicity to A cucumeris, moderate toxicity to O insidiosus and high toxicity to E formosa. Greenhouse studies involving exposure of immature and adult WFT and adult biological control agents to cucumber leaves sprayed previously with spinosad supported the laboratory data. Spinosad showed low toxicity to A cucumeris exposed to leaves 1 day after treatment (DAT), moderate toxicity to O insidiosus 1 and 8 DAT, and high toxicity to E formosa up to 28 DAT. These data, along with spinosad's unique mode of action, suggest it would be a valuable reduced-risk control agent for greenhouse cucumber IPM programs.

Evaluation of existing and new insecticides including spirotetramat and pyridalyl to control Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) on peppers in Queensland

“…Spinosad was effective against adult and larval F. occidentalis in Trials 1 and 4, and it has been widely reported as effective against F. occidentalis in other countries (Funderburk et al 2000;Reitz et al 2003;Jones et al 2005). Spinosad is registered for use against F. occidentalis in Australia.…”

Management strategies for western flower thrips in vegetable greenhouses in Iran: a review

“…The assessment of WFT susceptibility to formetanate, methamidophos, dimethoate, and spinosad indicated that WFT had the highest susceptibility to spinosad (Vargas & Ubillo 2005). In 2005, it was found that spinosad is an effective insecticide to control the immature and mature stages of WFT in cucumber greenhouses (Jones et al 2005). Broughton and Herron (2007) showed that increasing the rate of abamectin and The results showed that lufenuron, abamectin, and fipronil caused maximum mortality in two days after application.…”

“…It has been proved that spinosad has no detrimental impact on natural enemies of F. occidentalis. Therefore, spinosad is a convenient and safe tool in combination with some natural enemies of WFT and it is one of the keys to conservation of Orius species (Eger et al 1998;Jones et al 2005). Unfortunately, a certain level of resistance to spinosad has been documented, therefore spinosad should be completely avoided in areas where the resistance has developed (Demirozer et al 2012).…”

Impact of control strategies on Thrips tabaci and its predator Aeolothrips intermedius on onion crops

“…habitat destruction, oviposition, resting, 44 mating sites) (Desneux et al 2007). Therefore, it is important to develop new reduced-risk 45 insecticides to use in Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programs with minimal impact on 46 beneficial arthropods (Jones et al 2005). In this regard, spinosad is known to be effective against T. diseases and weeds were controlled using products recommended for onion production 92 (pendimethanil, ioxynil, metalaxyl-M + copper, dimethomorph + pyraclostrobin, cyprodinil + 93 fludioxonil).…”