Leafroller Control Options:
The list of insecticides that are effective against LR is smaller than that for CM. Table 2 lists only one “traditional” insecticide, Lorsban, that is effective and registered for use, and this product is restricted to the prebloom period. The pyrethroid insecticides are effective against LR but are not usually recommended because they disrupt integrated mite control and result in increased problems with spider mites. The neonicotinyl insecticides are not effective against LR. Success and Bt products (e.g. Dipel 2X, Javelin, MVP) are effective for LR suppression and, in fact, Success has become an industry standard for postbloom control of this pest. All the insect growth regulators are active against LR. Avaunt has shown activity against LR in small plot trials, but evidence from one field population, plus data from other fruit growing regions, indicates that Avaunt has strong cross-resistance to OP insecticides and would therefore likely fail to provide control of most LR populations in Washington. When registered, Proclaim will offer another effective control option for LR.
Table 2. Insecticides registered for leafroller control.
Traditional insecticides -- organophosphate
and carbamate |
| Pyrethroids Danitol, Warrior, Asana |
| Neonicotinyl insecticides |
| Biological insecticides Success (Entrust), Bt products |
| Insect growth regulators Intrepid, Esteem, Rimon |
| Other Insecticides Proclaim* |
* not yet registered for use on tree fruit crops.
Some insecticides provide control of both CM and LR. These are Intrepid, Esteem, Rimon, and Success. Growers can take advantage of this information when developing management programs for their orchards.
The list of products, new and old, that will provide control of CM, LR or both includes 13 insecticides, not counting the pyrethroids. Because of their negative effects on integrated mite control, the use of pyrethroids should be restricted to situations where CM or LR cannot, for whatever reason, be controlled using other means.