Australia’s vegetable growers have a new option in crop protection with an insecticide developed to assist in controlling a range of destructive pests including Lepidopteran pests, as well as several species of weevils, European earwig and katydids, while minimising harm to beneficial insects.

A new weapon in the battle against a wide range of horticultural pests has been released onto the Australian market.

With a strong focus on innovation and significant investments to fully develop its range of products to best meet the needs of producers, agricultural sciences company FMC has developed a new formulation of Indoxacarb.

Avatar® Insecticide has been a staple for Australian fruit, vegetable and grape growers for almost two decades.

The newest formula, Avatar® eVo Insecticide, provides rapid activity with residual control of Lepidopteran pests, as well as several species of weevils, European earwig and Katydids. Control of this unusual spectrum of insect pests helps to make this product a valuable part of any insecticide rotation program in a wide range of specialty crops.

Its unique mode of action has a low impact on beneficial insects, with no cross-resistance to other insecticides, making it an excellent rotation partner for FMC’s Group 28 insecticides Altacor®, Benevia® and Coragen®.

“Avatar® eVo has the same benefits as Avatar® Insecticide. It is tough on key pests as well as a range of other difficult to control secondary pests, while offering growers rapid control and residual activity,” FMC Strategic Product Manager Angus Wilson said.

“It has the same application rates and spray timing as our current insecticide formulation, however we are pleased to announce some key upgrades for Australian producers.”

Avatar® Insecticide has always been known to have good mixing qualities. However, the new formulation is an even better offering with excellent tank stability, product compatibility and favorable crop re-entry periods post spraying. In addition, it has an expanded label offering for new crops, and new pests in exiting crops.

Permit advice

Working closely with the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Authority (APVMA), FMC is taking part in the ‘permit-to-label program’ to benefit Australian fruit and vegetable producers by including minor crop uses in established product labels.

Avatar® eVo includes a number of previous permit uses that have been added to the label by using additional local and overseas data. For example, growers of capsicum, eggplant, peppers and tomato in protected cropping systems can now add this product to their list of Integrated Pest Management (IPM)-compatible insecticide options.

“Valuable feedback from our grower customers through local and overseas trial work has enabled us to add some totally new crop uses to this label,” Angus said.

“Cucurbit and sweet corn growers now have a new mode of action to add to their chemical rotation to help control key pests. This will assist in protecting the valuable insecticides already available on the Australian market – including our Coragen® insecticide – from potential insecticide resistance issues.”

With the proven active ingredient indoxacarb, Avatar® eVo works to protect a broad mix of fruit and vegetables from a unique spectrum of pests, making it the right choice for growers who value strategic, reliable insect control.

A newly expanded label and enhanced mixability makes this method of insect control the right choice in your crop protection IPM program.

Find out more

Please contact your local FMC representative or visit the FMC website here.

Cover image: Avatar® eVo has an expanded label offering for both new crops and new pests in existing crops, including corn earworm in sweet corn.

This article first appeared in Vegetables Australia – Summer 2020/21. To read the full publication, please click here.