Development of a Novel Soluble Granule Formulation of Emamectin Benzoate for Control of Lepidopterous Pests

Abstract

Six solid formulations of emamectin benzoate (one wettable powder (WP) blend, one wettable dispersible granule (WG), and four soluble granules (SG)) were compared with an emulsifiable concentrate (EC) formulation for their residual effectiveness at controlling tobacco budworm, Heliothis virescens (F.), beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua (Hübner), and cabbage looper, Trichoplusia ni (Hübner), in three glasshouse tests. Emamectin benzoate was applied to plants at two rates in each trial (8.4 and 0.084 g ai/ha). Results from the glasshouse studies showed that most formulations were comparable at controlling all lepidopterous pests tested. Four field trials conducted in Florida confirmed that all formulations were comparable in their effectiveness at controlling populations of lepidopterous pests on vegetables, including diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (L.), on cabbage, southern armyworm, Spodoptera eridania (Cramer), on pepper, and T. ni and S. exigua on celery. These studies identified a novel SG formulation of emamectin benzoate that was comparable to the EC formulation in its effectiveness at controlling lepidopterous pests, but superior to the EC in terms of safety to man and the environment. This novel SG formulation is currently being developed for control of lepidopterous pests on a variety of crops.