Tc. Sparks et al., Biological activity of the spinosyns, new fermentation derived insect control agents, on tobacco budworm (Lepidoptera : Noctuidae) larvae, J ECON ENT, 91(6), 1998, pp. 1277-1283
The spinosyns are a new class of fermentation-derived tetracyclic-macrolide
insect control agents that are active against lepidopterous pests such as
the tobacco budworm, Heliothis virescens (F.). Nine spinosyns, 2 pesudoagly
cones (each lacking 1 of the sugar moieties), and the aglycone (lacking bot
h sugar moieties) were tested on neonate a virescens larvae in a drench ass
ay. Spinosyn A, the principle component of spinosad (Tracer Naturalyte Inse
ct Control), was the most active of the spinosyns examined (spinosyn A LC50
= 0.3 ppm) and was as active as cypermethrin (LC50 = 0.26 ppm). Spinosyn A
was also tested directly against cypermethrin in a further series of labor
atory efficacy assays. Although spinosyn A (LD50 = 1.28, 2.25 mu g/g) was s
ignificantly less active than cypermethrin (LD50 = 0.52 mu g/g) in topical
bioassays against 3rd-instar a virescens, the results show spinosyn A to be
in the activity range of some pyrethoids and more active than a variety of
other insect control agents. Spinosyn A and cypermethrin exhibited a rapid
knockdown of 3rd instar a virescens larvae with T(50)s (time to 50% knockd
own) at 10 mu g per larva of 81 min and 25 min, respectively. Spinosyn A wa
s significantly less active than cypermethrin in a dried residue contact bi
oassay, but equivalent (no significant differences) in activity to cypermet
hrin in diet/egg and leaf-spray bioassays, and significantly more active th
an cypermethrin in a leaf-dip bioassay. Thus, spinosyn A demonstrates that
natural products can provide efficacy against pest lepidopterous larvae, su
ch as H. virescens, that is on par with that observed for some of the most
active synthetic insect control agents, including many pyrethroids.