A new contact-acting acaricide based on the active ingredient etoxazole, Borneo will be available for use this year in protected tomatoes and aubergines as well as being granted a SOLA for use in protected ornamental plants. It is being welcomed by growers as it offers a new mode of action and greater persistence.
"With mites causing such serious cosmetic and economic damage to ornamentals and yield damage in other protected crops such as tomatoes and aubergines, even in low populations, Borneo will be a welcome addition to our armoury," says Dr. Paul Sopp of specialist distributor Fargro.
Paul points out that his growers have a high demand for acaricides that are both effective on mites and safe to the crop. "And if they work in a completely different way to other acaricides, then even better. Etoxazole, the active ingredient in Borneo, works by inhibiting chitin production, which affects moulting and growing in mites. This results in effective control of eggs and all immature stages of the spider mites. It also has an adverse effect on egg production in adult females, through its chitin inhibition, and so makes the female sterile. Etoxazole is from the oxaline group of insecticides and shows no cross-resistance to any other acaricides. It will have a very useful place as the first spray in the spider mite control programme, alongside conventional products like abamectin."
Borneo also shows greater persistence, with activity up to 20 days or longer, compared with the 1-2 weeks that any other product demonstrates, says Paul.
"Borneo is active against the two main species of spider mite – the Two-spotted Spider Mite (Tetranychus urticae) and the Red Spider Mite (Panonychus ulmi). Because it inhibits the development of eggs and larval stages, it will give the best performance when used at the appearance of the first mobile stages of spider mites. It should be applied at a dose rate of 35 mls per 100 litres of water in a minimum water volume of 500 litres per hectare," says Dr. David Stormonth, Technical Manager for Interfarm (UK).
"In particular growers of protected crops will welcome its introduction to our product range, as this sector has already seen the loss of several actives in recent years. In this market, resistance management is also a major concern and it is very useful that Borneo has no resistance issues. It also has little adverse effect on bees, predatory mites or wasps and is expected to fit in well within IPM systems," says David.
Developed by Sumitomo Chemical Company, Borneo contains 110 gms/litre etoxazole formulated as a suspension concentrate. It is recommended for the control of spider mites on protected tomatoes and aubergines as well as having a SOLA on protected ornmamentals. It is applied at 25-30 mls per 100 litres of water in a minimum of 500 litres of water. One application of Borneo is allowed per crop. It is packed in 250 mls packs.
For further information, please contact Dr. David Stormonth, Technical Manager, Interfarm UK Ltd. on 01354 741414 or 07818 036506 (mobile) or via e-mail david.stormonth@interfarm.co.uk
