Abstract
The mirid bug Apolygus lucorum (Meyer-Dür) has become a major pest in cotton fields and has led to significant yield losses due to the widespread use of transgenic Bt cotton in China. Eight neonicotinoid seed treatments were investigated to determine their effects on the management of A. lucorum in cotton fields. All neonicotinoid seed treatments reduced the cotton damage caused by A. lucorum, and nitenpyram at the rate of 4 g/kg seed showed the most favorable efficacy in suppressing A. lucorum populations throughout the cotton seedling stage. The neonicotinoid seed treatments had no effect on the emergence rate of cotton seeds. Although the neonicotinoid seed treatments were not significantly different from the spray treatments in the cotton yield, the seed treatments reduced the need for three pesticide applications and showed a tremendous advantage in labor costs throughout the cotton seedling stage. Overall, the neonicotinoid seed treatments, particularly the nitenpyram seed treatment, can provide effective protection and should play an important role in the management of early season A. lucorum in Bt cotton fields.
Highlights
The mirid bug Apolygus lucorum (Meyer-Dür) (Hemiptera: Miridae) is an economically important insect pest of Bt cotton in Northern China[1]
At 26 days after sowing (DAS), in 2013, the number of A. lucorum in plots treated with neonicotinoid seed treatments and spray treatments was significantly less than that in the control treatment (F9,39 = 4.345, P = 0.001), except for plots treated with sulfoxaflor
The number of A. lucorum in plots treated with nitenpyram, dinotefuran, and thiamethoxam was not significantly different than that in plots with spray treatments but was significantly lower than that in the control treatment at 30 DAS (F9,39 = 3.750, P = 0.003)
Summary
The mirid bug Apolygus lucorum (Meyer-Dür) (Hemiptera: Miridae) is an economically important insect pest of Bt cotton in Northern China[1]. The main control measures for A. lucorum in cotton fields in China include chemical control, cultural control (e.g., intercropping with trap crops), physical control (e.g., light traps and sticky traps), and biological control (e.g., releasing parasitic wasps and conserving and utilizing natural enemies)[2]. Due to their high mobility, cryptic damage, and broad host range, various strategies for the management of A. lucorum have not reached the optimal effect[6]. The data can be used to select efficient neonicotinoids as seed treatments suitable to improve the control of A. lucorum in cotton fields in China
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