5.2.5.1 Crop Protection

Abamectin is registered worldwide for control of mites and certain insect pests on a variety of ornamental and horticultural crops and on cotton. Abamectin is effective for controlling agromyzid leafminers, Liriomyza spp., Colorado potato beetle, L. decemlineata, diamond back moth, P. xylostella, tomato pinworm, K. lycopersicella, citrus leafminer, Phyllocnistis citrella, and pear psylla, Cacopsylla pyricola. Abamectin has also been incorporated into bait to control red imported fire ants and cockroaches. These and other urban pest applications were reviewed by Lasota and Dybas (1991).

Recent studies have shown that avermectins have potential as a component in Africanized honeybee abatement programs (Danka et al., 1994). Another novel use is the injection of abamectin into trees which controls certain phytophagous arthropods, such as elm leaf beetle (Pyrrhalta luteola), for up to 83 days after application (Harrell and Pierce, 1994). The main commercial agricultural use of macrocyclic lactones is as acaricides. These compounds have demonstrated mite control and residual activity superior to most acaricides on a variety of ornamental crops, food crops, and cotton (Putter et al., 1981; Dybas and Green, 1984; Dybas, 1989). Macrocyclic lactones are also highly effective for the control of plant parasitic nematodes following injection application (Jansson and Rabbatin, 1997, 1998; Takai et al., 2003) or soil incorporation (Blackburn et al., 1996). Emamectin benzoate, milbemectin, and nemadectin are used commercially for the control of pine wilt nematode in Japan.

Emamectin benzoate is used for broad-spectrum control of lepidopteran pests on certain vegetable crops. This compound is very effective against numerous lepidopteran pests of a variety of crops. It is expected that the compound will be used to control lepidopterous pests on a wide variety of vegetable, tree, and row crops and also for control of thrips on eggplant and tea in Japan (Jansson and Rabatin, 1997).