Elevest--A New Soybean Insecticide for 2020

FMC Corp. has released a new insecticide, Elevest, for use in 2020. The new product is a premix of Bifenthrin (IRAC Group 3A pyrethroid) and Chlorantraniliprole (IRAC Group 28 anthranilic diamide). Thus, it is similar to the insecticide Besiege.

According to the Elevest label, this insecticide controls the following prominent soybean insects: 1) bean leaf beetle, corn earworm, green cloverworm, green stinkbug, southern green stinkbug, saltmarsh caterpillar, stink bug, three-cornered alfalfa hopper, and velvetbean caterpillar at 0.084-0.167 lb ai/acre; 2) armyworms, beet armyworm, fall armyworm, soybean looper, and tobacco budworm at 0.098-0.167 lb ai/acre; and 3) redbanded stink bug at 0.134-0.167 lb ai/acre. Apply the higher rates within the listed ranges for heavy infestations of targeted insects. The minimum interval between repeat applications is 30 days, and a last application of Elevest must be applied no closer than 18 days before harvest.

Regarding resistance management, repeated and exclusive use of Elevest or a similar insecticide with Group 3A and Group 28 components may lead to selection for resistant strains of insects in some crops. Thus, this product should be used as part of a resistance management program that includes cultural and biological control practices, rotation of mode-of-action classes of insecticides, and targeting the most susceptible life stage(s) of targeted insects.

Remember, merely rotating insecticides having components with the same mode(s) of action is not an effective resistance management practice.

Composed by Larry G. Heatherly, May 2020, larryheatherly@bellsouth.net