GREENSBORO, N.C. – A new broad-spectrum insecticide for control of grubs in turfgrass and whiteflies and mealybugs in ornamental plants is currently undergoing U.S. Environmental Protection Agency testing to be registered for use in the United States. The insecticide, thiamethoxam, was developed by Novartis Turf & Ornamental Products and is not currently registered for use or sale in the U.S. Several turfgrass and ornamental entomologists from the private and public sectors recently gathered in Hilton Head, S.C., to discuss the insecticide and various industry issues.
The three-day conference, sponsored by Novartis Turf and Ornamental Products, included a discussion of thiamethoxam’s performance in field trials conducted in the turf and ornamental markets. Attendees also discussed the discovery of new compounds – particularly within the neonicotinoid class – the most serious pests and challenges affecting turf and ornamental markets, the continuing impact of the Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA) – which recently claimed the pesticide chlorpyrifos – the significance of geographics in fighting pests, and industry labor issues.
"Our primary objective was to share thiamethoxam’s performance results across a broad range of use sites and pests," said Dr. David Cox, regional research and development manager for Novartis Turf and Ornamental Products. "Researchers often only see a small portion of the data supporting a label, but here they were able to collectively see and discuss the majority of the data by markets."
According to Novartis, several of the experts in attendance conducted field trials of thiamethoxam in 1998 and 1999. During the conference, they presented their research alongside data from their peers across the country. After seeing the data, turf entomologist Dr. Daniel Potter of the University of Kentucky said, "Thiamethoxam is clearly a powerful performer for preventive grub control that provides a flexible application window and shows a broad spectrum of efficacy on soil pests."
Thiamethoxam’s rapid uptake and soil residual control makes it a preventive and curative treatment on a broad spectrum of pests in landscape and ornamental environments, according to Novartis. The company also said thiamethoxam is rainfast and has shown good soil and foliar activity for pests in turf and ornamentals. "Not only is thiamethoxam’s activity in the first 24 to 48 hours good news for ornamental professionals," said Dr. Cox, "but this compound is also proving to bind very well with the soil and to be forgiving if irrigation is not immediate – which addresses important issues for the golf and landscape markets."
Dan Gilrein, ornamental entomologist for the Cornell Cooperative Extension, noted thiamethoxam’s proposed use as a foliar application. "With thiamethoxam, growers will finally have a neonicotinoid they can use as a foliar application in greenhouses and nurseries as well as landscapes," he said.
Participants included entomologists from leading research universities such as University of Nebraska, Purdue, Ohio State, University of Kentucky and University of Georgia as well as scientists from Scotts, Rainbow Tree Care and TruGreen-Chemlawn.
According to Novartis, Thiamethoxam has been granted an expedited review by the EPA as an organophosphate replacement insecticide and is under concurrent review in California. Thiamethoxam is a thianicotinyl insecticide in the neonicotinoid class, and the United States Patent Office has granted Novartis a patent on the active ingredient. Upon registration, Novartis expects to market thiamethoxam under the name Meridian™ in the turf and landscape markets and Flagship™ in the ornamental (greenhouse and nursery) markets.