Control of Helicoverpa armigera (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in soybean with chemical and biological insecticides

Abstract

The objective of this work was to evaluate the performance of insecticides authorized on an emergency basis to control of Helicoverpa armigera (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in soybean. Seven insecticides were sprayed on the field and, 24 hours after that, soybean pointer leaves were collected and offered to 2nd instar larvae in the laboratory. Fourth instar larvae received the last trifoliate leaf that was fully expanded at the time of spraying. Another larvae group was exposed to leaves collected from 72 hours onwards after spraying. In the field, six insecticides were sprayed, and then the plants were infested with 2nd and 3rd instar larvae. In the first study, flubendiamide, chlorantraniliprole, chlorfenapyr, indoxacarb, and methoxyfenozide caused 100% mortality of the 4th instar, eight days after the beginning of exposure, while baculovirus and Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) caused 60–75% mortality, which reached 88–90% at the end of the pupal stage. For 2nd instar larvae, only flubendiamide and chlorantraniliprole caused 100% mortality. Flubendiamide, chlorantraniliprole, and chlorfenapyr showed the lowest lethal time for the 4th instar, and flubendiamide and chlorantraniliprole for the 2nd instar. Seventy-two hours after spraying, the performance of insecticides was not satisfactory. In the field, there was satisfactory efficiency of flubendiamide, spinosad, baculovirus, and Bt on 2nd and 3rd instar larvae.