Caterpillars feel most comfortable wherever they have plenty to eat – particularly when feeding on agricultural and horticultural crops. Left undisturbed, they can eventually destroy a whole field to the ground. To make things worse, growing numbers of lepidopteran pests are showing resistance to many conventional insecticides. “The market introduction of Belt has come at just the right time”, says Shane Hand, Global Product Manager for flubendiamide at Bayer CropScience. In 2006 it received its very first registration, in the Philippines. Others followed, in countries such as India, Chile, the USA and Colombia. Hand anticipates registration to be gained in Brazil during 2009.
Innovative insecticide class marks a new standard
Flubendiamide, the active substance behind Belt®: It is the first representative of a new group of active substances, which the researchers have named phthalic acid diamides. In contrast to the four known classes of insecticides, which target the insect’s nervous system, the phthalic acid diamides act at receptors in muscles – the so-called ryanodine receptors.
After taking up the compound, caterpillars lose the control of their muscles and stop eating. They become paralyzed through the constant muscle tension and finally die. The compound’s additional strengths include rapid rainfastness and efficient uptake into the leaves, followed by acropetal translocation of the active substance to the new growing points of the leaves. Even small quantities are effective over a prolonged period. Depending on the situation, the possibility exists of saving on the number of applications.
Flubendiamide acts selectively against caterpillars, and, when properly used, spares bees and other beneficial insects. “It’s also safe for the user and the environment – for mammals, birds, fish and earthworms – as long as it is used according to the rules of good agricultural practice”, continues the Product Manager. “Belt, also on the market under the trade names Fame® and Fenos®, is therefore an important tool in the context of integrated crop protection.”
Resistance to many conventional insecticides is increasing around the world, so this new mode of action represents an important milestone in the story of Bayer CropScience’s research into insecticides. Shane Hand adds: “Belt is the product of choice against tough caterpillar pests – there is no evidence of resistance. But to maintain this advantage, Belt should always be applied in alternation with insecticides from other classes of active substance, for example with pyrethroids and benzoylureas. Resistance development can be prevented.”
Download: ( 202 KB pdf)
)
