Effect of spiropidion on aphids and predatory mite Amblyseius swirskii in pepper cultivation

Spiropidion je nova djelatna tvar koju je razvila tvrtka Syngenta. Pripada skupini inhibitora acetil CoA karboksilaze (skupina 23) i podskupini derivati tetronske i tetramske kiseline koji djeluju kao regulatori rasta i razvoja kukaca i grinja. Inhibiraju acetil koenzim A karboksilazu, važnog sudionika prvog dijela biosinteze lipida. Zahtjev za registraciju ovog insekticida u Europskoj uniji bit će podnesen slijedeće godine. Očekuje se da će odmah nakon registracije u EU, doći i na tržište u Hrvatskoj. S ciljem boljeg upoznavanja učinka ovog insekticida na štetnike i na prirodne neprijatelje u istraživanju provedenom 2019. godine utvrđena je učinkovitost na lisne uš) na paprici te popratni učinak na predatorsku grinju, Amblyseius swirskii. Pokus je proveden u dva plastenika: u plasteniku I ispuštena je predatorska grinja A. swirskii i biljke su tretirane spiropidionom u dozi od 80 i 40 g a.t./ha, dok u plasteniku II nije ispuštena grinja te je primijenjena samo puna doza (80 g a.t./ha) spiropidiona. Zbog niske brojnosti grinje u pokusu nije bilo moguće u potpunosti potvrditi navode literature o izostanku negativnog utjecaja spiropidiona na predatorske grinje. Testirani insekticid visoko je učinkovit na pamukovu lisnu uš (Aphis gossypii Glover) (koja je prevladavala u populaciji lisnih uši) u obje primijenjene doze (40 i 80 g a.t./ha) te ga za praktičnu primjenu svakako treba preporučiti u nižoj dozi. Utvrđena je zadovoljavajuća učinkovitost najmanje dva tjedna nakon tretiranja. Kada dođe na tržite u RH, spiropidion će s obzirom na izostanak negativnog djelovanja na predatorske grinje i na povoljni ekotoksikološki profil o kojem govore rezultati brojnih provedenih istraživanja, predstavljati vrijedan alat za suzbijanje lisnih uši u proizvodnji paprike u zaštićenom prostoru.Spiropidion is a new active ingredient developed by Syngenta. It belongs to the group of acetyl-CoA carboxylase inhibitors (group 23) and to the subgroup of tetronic and tetramic acid derivatives, which act as growth and development regulators of insects and mites. They inhibit acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase, an important participant in the first part of lipid biosynthesis. An application for registration of this insecticide in the European Union will be submitted next year. It is expected that immediately after registration in the EU, it will also be marketed in Croatia. In order to better understand the effect of this insecticide on pests and natural enemies, a trial conducted in 2019 determined the efficacy on cotton aphids on peppers and the side effect on the predatory mite Ambliseius swirskii. The experiment was conducted in two greenhouses: in greenhouse I, the predatory mite A. swirskii was released and aphids were treated with spiropidion at a dose of 80 and 40 g at / ha, while in greenhouse II no mite was released and only the full dose (80 g at / ha) of spiropidion was applied. Due to the low number of mites in the experiment, it was not possible to fully confirm the claims in the literature about the absence of a negative effect of spiropidion on predatory mites. The insecticide tested is highly effective against cotton aphids (infesting plants in our experiment) at both dosages applied (40 and 80 g a.t./ha) and should definitely be recommended at a lower dosage for practical use. Satisfactory efficacy was observed at least two weeks after treatment. When marketed in the Republic of Croatia, spiropidion will be a valuable agent for aphid control in the production of peppers in a protected area, as it has no negative effects on predatory mites and the results of numerous studies show a favorable ecotoxicological profile