The Active Ingredient Pymetrozine

The Active Ingredient Pymetrozine

1. Introduction

Pymetrozine is an active ingredient in the pyridine azomethines group. This is a new type of aphid insecticide and is commonly used to control sucking species such as aphids and whiteflies on many different crops around the world. This active ingredient is very effective in integrated pest management (IPM) programs due to its high selectivity and low toxicity to mammals.

The EU approved Pymetrozine as a pesticide in 2001, but as of January 31, 2020, it is no longer allowed to be used in the EU. In Switzerland and Vietnam, it is used normally.

2. Application

Pymetrozine users have a narrow scope of action that specializes in treating sucking insects: brown planthoppers, green planthoppers, whiteflies, mealybugs, thrips, spiders,… on potatoes and many cruciferous vegetables, specifically:

  • Brown planthoppers, white-backed planthoppers, stem borers on rice
  • Whiteflies on cassava
  • Thrips on chili, watermelon, grapefruit
  • Fruit borers, mealybugs on coffee
  • Silkworms on cabbage

This active ingredient affects both larval and adult stages. With the ability to prevent and treat sucking insects, it limits infectious diseases caused by viruses such as mosaic disease, yellow dwarf, yellow dwarf leaf curl,...

3. Mechanism of action

Pymetrozine is a systemic active ingredient with contact and stomach toxicity, and with a special mechanism of action. It affects nerve cells that control the salivary glands of sucking insects. When the activity of this gland is disrupted, the insect cannot perform the sucking activity, thereby causing the insect to starve and die.

With a unique 3-lock mechanism: mouth lock, leg lock, and reproductive lock, this active ingredient will stop insects from sucking and losing their ability to reproduce after 1 hour of exposure.

Pymetrozine has drainage properties, so we can spray, water/fertilize the roots.

4. Advantages

  • The active ingredient Pymetrozine belongs to toxic group III. Pymetrozine has almost no adverse effects on birds, warm-blooded animals, worms, soil microflora, or beneficial insects at the recommended dosage. The active ingredient has a mild effect on bees, so it should be carefully used when bees are actively searching for honey.
  • In aquatic environments, Pymetrozine is completely dissipated by absorption by colloids in the sludge layer and there it is decomposed by microorganisms until the final product is carbon dioxide (a harmless chemical compound). At the recommended dosage, Pymetrozine is completely harmless to aquatic plants and animals.
  • The active ingredient Pymetrozine is unstable in the soil environment. It is easily decomposed by microorganisms in the soil, so the active ingredient is also safe for this environment.

5. Disadvantages

  • Pymetrozine is only highly effective in the adult stage of insects. However, insects cause the greatest damage to trees in their young stages.
  • The level of impact is narrow, with only good management on the sucking group, and strong on the planthopper group (brown planthoppers, green planthoppers, powdery planthoppers)
  • This active ingredient must be combined with others when late pest detection: Adult insects or multiple growth phases of insects appear at the same time (large hoppers, small hoppers, eggs, cured hoppers,...)
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