Agricultural and Forest Entomology (2014) 16, 293-301

Renata R. Pereira, Marcelo C. Picanço, Paulo A. Santana Jr., Suzana S. Moreira, Raul N.C. Guedes and Alberto S. Corrêa (2014)
Insecticide toxicity and walking response of three pirate bug predators of the tomato leaf miner Tuta absoluta
Agricultural and Forest Entomology 16 (3), 293-301
Abstract: The tomato leaf miner Tuta absoluta is a key pest of the tomato and is of global significance. Insecticide is the primary method for controlling this pest, requiring a search for compounds with a low toxicity to nontarget organisms.
We assessed the toxicity of eight insecticides to T. absoluta and its pirate bug predators Orius tristicolor, Amphiareus constrictus and Blaptostethus pallescens (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Anthocoridae). We also assessed the effect of insecticide synergists on their toxicity to the predators, as well as their walking response to insecticide exposure.
All insecticides, with the exception of methamidophos, exhibited the minimum efficacy threshold required by the Brazilian legislation (80% efficacy) at concentrations lower than the registered label rates. Indoxacarb and chlorantraniliprole exhibited a lower toxicity to the pirate bug predators than to the tomato leaf miner.
The results obtained with the synergized insecticides suggest the involvement of cytochrome P450-dependent monooxygenases as the primary detoxification enzymes minimizing insecticide toxicity in the pirate bug predators.
The insecticides led to a reduction in predator walking activity, especially abamectin and indoxacarb, which significantly minimized predator exposure.
The results of the present study indicate that novel insecticides, especially chlorantraniliprole, are better suited to sustainable integrated management programmes of the tomato leaf miner.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Raul Narciso C. Guedes, Marcelo Coutinho Picanco

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
control - general
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
application technology
resistance to pesticides

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Phthorimaea absoluta
Orius tristicolor (predator)	Phthorimaea absoluta
Blaptostethus pallescens (predator)	Phthorimaea absoluta
Amphiareus constrictus (predator)	Phthorimaea absoluta