Insecticides for the control of dieldrin-resistant banana weevil borer, Cosmopolites sordidus Germar

Abstract

Field trials were carried out in the Brunswick River district of New South Wales from 1971 to 1975 to evaluate insecticides against dieldrin-resistant banana weevil borer, Cosmopolites sordidus Germar. Effective control was obtained by spraying the bases of plants and surrounding soil to a radius of 30 cm in spring and autumn with pirimiphos-ethyl and chlorpyrifos emulsions at 2.24 kg active ingredient ha-1 (1.12g per plant) per application. Chlordecone dust, pirimiphos-ethyl granules and chlorpyrifos powder sprinkled by hand at 2.8 kg ha-1 a.i. (1.42 g per plant) per application also gave effective control and could be used where water is unavailable.