EVALUATING INSECTICIDES FOR CONTROL OF ADULT LYGUS BUGS (MIRIDAE: HEMIPTERA) IN CALIFORNIA STRAWBERRIES

A centrifuge tube bioassay (CTB) method was developed to screen candidate products for the control of lygus bugs in strawberries before conducting field-scale testing. To evaluate the CTB method, results of a CTB and a strawberry field trial in Watsonville, California were compared. Insecticides tested were Actara (thiamethoxam), Danitol (fenpropathrin), Malathion 8 Aquamul (malathion), PrevAm (sodium tetraborohydrate decahydrate), and tank mixtures. The CTB results were in agreement with field trial results for products affording direct mortality. The field trial identified the Actara and Danitol mixture as the most efficacious treatment.