Pest Management Science (2010) 66, 650-656

Jean P. Jansen, Thibaut Defrance and Anne M. Warnier (2010)
Effects of organic-farming-compatible insecticides on four aphid natural enemy species
Pest Management Science 66 (6), 650-656
Abstract: BACKGROUND: The toxicities of pyrethrins + rapeseed oil, pyrethrins + piperonyl butoxide (PBO), potassium salts of fatty acids and linseed oil were assessed in the laboratory on the parasitic wasp Aphidius rhopalosiphi (Destefani-Perez), the ladybird Adalia bipunctata (L.), the rove beetle Aleochara bilineata (Gyll.) and the carabid beetle Bembidion lampros (Herbst.). The methods selected were residual contact toxicity tests on inert and natural substrates.
RESULTS: Both the pyrethrin products led to 100% mortality in the adult parasitic wasps and ladybird larvae on glass plates and plants. The pyrethrins + PBO formulation was toxic for B. lampros on sand and natural soil, but the pyrethrins + rapeseed oil formulation was harmless for this species. Insecticidal soaps were harmless for all these beneficial species. None of the tested products significantly affected the parasitism of the onion fly pupae by A. bilineata.
CONCLUSION: The results indicated the potentially high toxicity of natural pyrethrins for beneficial arthropods. Although this toxicity needs to be confirmed in field conditions, the toxicity levels obtained in the laboratory were similar to or higher than those of several synthetic insecticides known to be toxic in the field. Insecticidal soaps could be considered as an alternative for aphid control in organic farming in terms of selectivity.
(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): Jean Pierre Jansen

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
health/environmental effects of pesticides
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
resistance to pesticides

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
Adalia bipunctata (predator)
Aphidius rhopalosiphi (parasitoid)
Bembidion lampros (predator)
Aleochara bilineata (parasitoid)