Insecticide use on crops to control diamonback moth approved

Diamondback moth is a pest of Brassica crops including oilseed rape
Diamondback moth is a pest of Brassica crops including oilseed rape

A new 120 day 'Extension of Authorisation for Minor Use' has been authorised for the use of an insecticide on Brussels sprout, broccoli, calabrese, cabbage and cauliflower for the control of Diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella).

The Chemicals Regulation Division played an important role to ensure that authorisation of the insecticide 'Benevia 10OD' was identified as a priority and rapidly evaluated for UK brassica growers.

Diamondback moth is a pest of Brassica crops including oilseed rape.

It is a relatively small moth and the eggs can be hard to find.

Insecticide
Insecticide 'Benevia 10OD' was identified as a priority and rapidly evaluated for UK brassica growers

Newly-hatched caterpillars burrow into the foliage to feed but then come out onto the leaf surface as they grow larger and cause characteristic ‘windowpane’ damage.

The AHDB-funded Pest Bulletin has been monitoring Diamondback moth, identifying high numbers during June and July.

The Pest Bulletin is updated each week and provides valuable oversight on 13 different pests.

The information has allowed the growers to plan control measures ahead to mitigate yield losses.

Major pests of vegetable crops

Commenting on the Pest Bulletin, Dr Rosemary Collier, Director of Warwick Crop Centre said: "This is an important service for growers and we have been providing key intelligence on the major pests of vegetable crops by forecasting and monitoring fluctuations in pest numbers.

"This information provides guidance for growers as to when specific control measures need to be put in place."

Vivian Powell, Crop Protection Senior Scientist (Pesticide Regulation), helped organise the EAMU working with members of the Brassica Growers Association.

She said: "It is great that we worked with growers, regulators and the manufacturer to obtain use of this new product that will help them alleviate issues with Diamondback moth.

"Our work is all about finding the solutions to problems that work effectively and efficiently and which can be integrated into IPM strategies."

AHDB Project FV 440

A current AHDB project FV 440 is investigating ways of managing pest migrant moths including silver Y moth and Diamondback moth.

One aspect is the use of a network of novel pheromone traps, with each trap containing a small camera that allows growers to view captures remotely.

AHDB are also investigating methods of control with new insecticides and biopesticides.

In the same project Jason Chapman and colleagues at Rothamsted Research are using weather data to track the origin of immigrant moths and so may in time be able to confirm where these migrants came from.