Efficacy of the novel insecticide, isocycloseram, against codling moths (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae)

Codling moths, Cydia pomonella L. (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), can cause severe damage in apples (Malus domestica Borkh) (Rosales: Rosaceae) and are targets of the majority of insecticide applications. A novel insecticide, isocycloseram, presents a new mode of action with the potential to be incorporated into integrated pest management programs for codling moths. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of isocycloseram on codling moths in apples using both laboratory and field trials. In the laboratory trials, a direct toxicity test was conducted to compare the effectiveness of isocycloseram to other active ingredients and the control. A residual toxicity trial was also performed by allowing larvae to feed on treated apples and examining the fruit for damage. The field trial compared isocycloseram to a standard rotation of insecticides labeled to manage codling moths in both calendar and threshold-based application programs. Field visual observation and harvested apples were used to estimate codling moth damage. The laboratory trials showed that isocycloseram is just as effective as other common insecticides in both direct and residual toxicity. These results showed that isocycloseram can rapidly kill codling moths, and it had a residual activity of at least 15 d. In the field study, codling moth damage was reduced by the calendar-based application of insecticides compared to the untreated control, but without significant difference between standard and isocycloseram treatments. Similar results were also observed when economic thresholds triggered the applications. This insecticide has shown promise for use in integrated pest management programs for codling moths.