On 11 June, two pesticides were newly approved for use against fall armyworms (spodoptera frugiperda) in China. One of these pesticides was a beauveria bassiana spray with 10 billion spores per gram from Shanxi Luhai Pesticide Science and Technology Co., Ltd. This product can be used to combat fall armyworms by spraying larvae in their early stages.

Originally, the product was designed and registered to prevent and control corn armyworms, corn borers, and grassland locusts . The other pesticide was a matrine azadirachtin spray from Yunnan Lvrong Biological Industrial Development Co., Ltd. This product can be used to combat fall armyworms by spraying larvae during their egg hatching phase. This product was originally registered to prevent and control cabbage diamondback moths.

To date, there have been a total of seven products registered to treat fall armyworms in China, with active ingredients being bacillus thuringiensis, metarhizium anisopliae, beauveria bassiana, matrine, and azadirachtin, all of which are environmental-friendly and low-toxicity biopesticides.

Fall army worms widely present in China, posing a threat to corn production

Fall army worms have been a constant problem in China during the past two years. They mainly damage corn, and when left untreated, they can decrease corn yields by between one and two thirds. An adult fall armyworm can migrate as far as 150 kilometers during a single night under appropriate wind and weather conditions.

At present, the main areas affected by fall armyworms are the regions near the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River; however, fall armyworms have been spotted as far north as Pizhou city in Jiangsu province. Based on weather conditions, crop growth periods, and insect source locations, it is estimated that the risk of fall armyworms migrating into the Huanghuai region is high, which may cause harm to the main corn producing areas in northern China.

New fall armyworm pesticides in demands due to restrictions on repeated use of single pesticide

In order to effectively prevent and control fall armyworms in China, the National Agricultural Technology Center of China has called upon experts to compile a guide detailing the proper use of pesticides against fall armyworms. According to the guidelines drafted by these experts, pesticides should be used in rotation to prevent pests from developing resistance.

Furthermore, no single type of pesticide should be used more than twice in a single season on a single crop. Insects should be sprayed with pesticides as early as possible when they are young, and pesticides that have the function of killing eggs can be applied even earlier in the egg stage.The total recommended amount of spray per hectare is approximately 500 kg when sprayed manually, approximately 250 kg when sprayed by heavy machinery, and 45 kg when sprayed by drones.Due to restrictions on the repeated use of pesticides, as well as the need for the early application of large amounts of pesticides to combat fall armyworms, it is expected that a demand for these new pesticides will surge among producers of corn and other grains.

For more information, please check our Insecticides China News.

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