Evaluation of imidacloprid and cyantraniliprole for suitability in conservation biological control program for orius insidiosus (hemiptera: Anthocoridae) in field pepper

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to evaluate imidacloprid 4.6SC (Bayer Crop Protection, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina) and cyantraniliprole 10SE and 20SC (DuPont Crop Protection, Newark, Delaware) against populations of thrips and minute pirate bugs [Orius insidiosus (Say) and O. pumilio (Champion) (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae)], the key natural enemies of thrips in pepper. Cyantraniliprole 20SC applied as a systemic treatment had no detectable impacts 4 to 6 wk later on populations of minute pirate bugs in the flowers. Treatments consisted of 2 rates each applied twice prior to pepper flowering. Although there were no significant effects on thrips populations in the flowers, cyantraniliprole can be used compatibly in this manner in a conservation biological control program for thrips. Conversely, imidacloprid applied as a transplant drench greatly suppressed minute pirate bug populations in the flowers 4 to 6 wk later, and it is not compatible with the conservation biological control program.