Research Summary Abstract
Managing mealybugs and scale insects presents unique challenges. Products with contact modes of action must be applied at specific timings in order to reach the most susceptible crawler stages often targeting stems or leaf petioles not readily accessible due to dense foliage. Products with systemic modes of action may work well for certain species and not others based on application timing and whether the insect feeds within phloem or xylem. In 2003, IR-4 initiated a high priority project to determine efficacy of insecticides for mealybugs to add additional species to existing registrations and screen new active ingredients. Over time, mealybug efficacy has been re-established as high priority at subsequent workshops (2019, 2021). This research was conducted between 2004 and 2022. This summary contains outcomes from 32 experiments established to screen new active ingredients for impact on mealybugs.
Across crop and mealybug species, the products with the most impact on populations include ISM-555, TriStar, Orthene, Pradia, Safari, Talus, Flagship, Rycar, A169018, Aria, Kontos, and Ventigra. MBI 205, TetraCURB Concentrate, and SP3014 also provided acceptable reductions in populations. Seven different mode of action groups are represented. There is the opportunity to include mealybugs on active ingredients that are not yet registered for mealybugs and expand currently registered labels with additional mealybug species.