BIOLOGICAL-ACTIVITY OF FLUCYCLOXURON, A NOVEL BENZOYLPHENYLUREA DERIVATIVE, ON TENEBRIO-MOLITOR - COMPARISON WITH DIFLUBENZURON AND TRIFLUMURON

Flucycloxuron, a novel benzoylphenylurea (BPU) derivative, exhibited i nsecticidal activity when injected into newly ecdysed pupae of Tenebri o molitor. Mortality occurs because of defective adult ecdysis. Treatm ent caused a reduction in both cuticle thickness and incorporation of C-14-labelled precursor into chitin, although it had no significant ef fect on the protein synthesis. The potencies of other BPU compounds as inhibitors of chitin biosynthesis have been examined and results show ed that diflubenzuron was less effective than either flucycloxuron or triflumuron.