Efficacy of a micro-encapsulated formulation compared with a sticky barrier for excluding ants from citrus canopies

Abstract

Inesfly IGR FITO (R) is an insecticidal paint containing chlorpyrifos and pyriproxyfen incorporated in a micro-encapsulated formulation that confers the advantage of releasing active ingredients slowly. In this study, a 15-cm band of Inesfly IGR FITO (R) was painted around citrus trunks. The efficacy of this paint and a sticky barrier to exclude ants from foraging in citrus trees was evaluated in two citrus orchards during the season in two different ant communities, one dominated by Lasius grandis and the other by Linepithema humile. Field results demonstrated that a single application of Inesfly IGR FITO (R) at the beginning of the season was highly effective in excluding ants from canopies throughout the season. Inesfly IGR FITO (R) provides an efficient and more economical alternative than current ant exclusion strategies used in many perennial crops. Further studies should be performed to determine the effects of this strategy on other pests and on beneficial arthropods in citrus.