Pest Management Science (2014) 70, 1460-1467

Emmanouil Roditakis, Natasa Fytrou, Marianna Staurakaki, John Vontas and Anastasia Tsagkarakou (2014)
Activity of flonicamid on the sweet potato whitely Bemisia tabaci (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae) and its natural enemies
Pest Management Science 70 (10), 1460-1467
Abstract: BACKGROUNDFlonicamid is a novel systemic insecticide that acts as a feeding blocker with potential use against whiteflies within IPM control tactics. Flonicamid efficacy against Bemisia tabaci Mediterranean populations from Crete was examined, as well as side effects on selected beneficials used extensively in current IPM schemes.RESULTSLow variability in adulticide activity was detected (<tenfold), while there was no resistance compared with a reference susceptible population. Flonicamid exhibited low to no insecticidal activity on eggs, emerging crawlers and second-instar nymphs at the maximum registered label rate (RLR_max). In long-term cage experiments, flonicamid at the RLR_max (125 mg L^-1) caused 95% mortality to whiteflies 10 days after treatment and delayed population growth by one generation (32 days). Flonicamid significantly delayed nymphal development by increasing the development time (DT₅₀) of treated insects by 7.2 days. Flonicamid did not affect the survival of Eretmocerus eremicus adults, while lethal effects of an intermediate level were observed on Nesidiocoris tenuis adults and nymphs, Amblyseius swirskii adults and preimaginal stages of E. eremicus. Flonicamid reduced the feeding activity (consumption of B. tabaci eggs) of N. tenuis and A. swirskii by 28 and 37% respectively. Moreover, the fecundity of A. swirskii was reduced by 36% after exposure to flonicamid.CONCLUSIONSFlonicamid is an effective tool for the management of B. tabaci populations from Crete, and initial studies indicate that it could be combined with B. tabaci natural enemies.
(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): Emmanouil Roditakis, John Vontas, Anastasia Tsagkarakou

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

---

Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Bemisia tabaci biotype MED		Greece
Eretmocerus eremicus (parasitoid)	Bemisia tabaci biotype MED		Greece
Amblyseius swirskii (predator)	Bemisia tabaci biotype MED		Greece
Nesidiocoris tenuis (predator)	Bemisia tabaci biotype MED		Greece