California producers have added another pest control material to the toolbox with the recent registration of a new insecticide from BASF. The new product, Sefina, has been shown to be effective on a variety of different pests in multiple crops without being harmful to pollinators and other beneficial insects.
“It’s having activity on the piercing/sucking complex. So, whitefly and aphid are the big ones in cotton, cucurbits, and fruiting veg. Citrus, it additionally has activity on ACP which is creeping more and more into our citrus community and it does have some scale suppression,” said Kevin Caffrey, BASF Technical Service Representative. “California red scale being one of the big ones, but it’s also registered for suppression of citricola scale which, this year at least, is starting to pop up again.”
The active ingredient quickly stops feeding and limits the spread of damage along with the transmission of vectored pathogens. Sefina insecticide has been vigorously tested on citrus in Florida, which has shown positive results. “We actually have data that shows a reduction in HLB transmission from ACP. So not only are you controlling the pest, but you’re reducing the vectored disease because you’re stopping it from feeding so quickly,” Caffrey noted.
The new pest control material provides a unique mode of action and has been classified by the Insecticide Resistance Action Committee as a member of the subgroup 9D. The chemistry specifically targets piercing and sucking insects without having adverse effects on pollinator populations. The material has also been found to complement parasitic and predatory control.
“We had to do pretty extensive hoop house testing where you spray [pollinators] directly and that’s the worst you see is them being a little uncoordinated. They snap out of it quickly with no effect on the brood,” said Caffrey. “Sefina fits really well with the green designation where you’re going to be safe on pollinators, safe on beneficials, but you’re still going to have great activity on the pests your aiming for.”
Listen to the interview below.
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