The solution for pollen beetle controlHighly effective against all pollen beetles, including those resistant to pyrethroid insecticides.

Thresholds for winter and spring oilseed rape cropsThe thresholds are based on the maximum number of buds each beetle can destroy and the number of excess flowers produced:• If there are less than 30 plants/m2, the threshold

is 25 pollen beetles/plant• If there are 30-50 plants/m2, the threshold is 18

pollen beetles/plant• If there are 50-70 plants/m2, the threshold is 11

pollen beetles/plant• If there are more than 70 plants/m2, the

threshold is 7 pollen beetles/plantThese will be published in an update of HGCA’s pollen beetle Information Sheet. Visit www.hgca.com/pests for further information.

Do NOT spray after flowering starts: the pollen beetles migrate to open flowers away from the buds and become pollinators rather than pests.

BBCH 59 - First petals visible, flower buds

still closed (‘yellow bud’)

Timing and thresholds for pollen beetle control

Crops at risk are those at the green to yellow bud stage where the beetles destroy the flower buds to gain access to the pollen.

Delivering benefits to the market

Core recommendations for PLEnUm:

PLENUM: Approved for use in winter and spring oilseed rape

Target pest: Pollen beetle (Meligethes aeneus)

Maximum individual dose: 0.15 kg/ha (delivers 75g/ha of pymetrozine)

Maximum number of applications: 1 per crop

Optimum timing: Green to yellow bud stage, BBCH 51 to BBCH 59

Latest time of application: Yellow bud before flowering, BBCH 59

Biology and life cycle of pollen beetle (Meligethes aeneus)

Critical time when populations can explode

Buds damagedby feeding adults

and larvae

Larvae fall to the soil and pupate. Adults emerge

2 to 3 weeks later. Usually 2 generations

a year.

Adults overwinter in the soil and under

leaf litter

Larvae feed on pollen, buds and

developing pods for about 28 days

Adults emerge in March and early April. Temperatures around

8-10°C

At temperatures above 15°C adult pollen

beetle migrate to winter oilseed rape crops

Females lay eggs in small holes at the base of the flower

buds. 100-200 eggs per female

Initially headlands are colonised and within

days the beetles move further into the crop

KEY stage for monitoring crops

• Control of all pollen beetles including those resistant to pyrethroid insecticides

• UNIQUE mode of action based on pymetrozine - not a neonicotinoid or pyrethroid compound

• Highly effective - rapid knockdown of pests and control for about 1 week after treatment

• Powerful contact effect against target pests

• PLENUM is physically compatible with most major fungicides

Benefits from using PLENUM

Controlling pollen beetleMaximise your potential through bud conservation:

A bud is a flower

Every flower has the potential to become a pod

A single pollen beetle is capable of destroying an average of nine buds*

A good crop of OSR can compensate for some bud loss but it will detract from the crops overall potential

*source: HGCA Project Report No. 495 - information was previously unknown and is pivotal in determining thresholds for the pest

(%) Percent proportion of population

UK 20

07 (n

.63)

UK 20

08 (n

.46)

UK 20

09 (n

.58)

UK 20

10 (n

.27)

Germ

any 2

007

(n.1

69)

Germ

any 2

008

(n.3

25)

Germ

any 2

009

(n.3

18)

Germ

any 2

010

(n.2

65)

Switz

erlan

d 20

07 (n

.8)

Switz

erlan

d 20

08 (n

.10)

Switz

erlan

d 20

09 (n

.47)

Switz

erlan

d 20

10 (n

.120

)Fr

ance

200

7 (n

.16)

Fran

ce 2

008

(n.2

6)

Fran

ce 2

009

(n.1

01)

Fran

ce 2

010

(n.1

23)

Highly ResistantResistantModerately ResistantSusceptible

Highly Susceptible

80

90

100

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0

Entomologist Dr Kevin Gorman, reports:

• Resistance to pyrethroids is no longer restricted to specific areas in the UK; resistant populations have been found as far north as Scotland

• Many populations are mixed, containing both pyrethroid-susceptible and resistant individuals

• The mechanism is believed to be metabolic resistance (P450 enzyme production). This type of metabolic resistance renders pyrethroid insecticides ineffective.

• In the UK no individuals have yet been found to carry the target-site resistance (kdr mutation) found in some other European countries

The chart below tracks the rapid development of resistance in Germany and Switzerland in particular. The UK situation also demonstrates increased resistance to pyrethroids and the 2012 surveys report a broad spread of resistant beetles across the UK

Source: IRAC website

Further information can be found at www.irac-online.org

Effective control strategies - pollen beetle resistance

Rothamsted Research has conducted studies into resistance to pyrethroid insecticides. They found the situation across the UK to be changing significantly. Resistance was first identifiedin Kent in 2006.

08

10

12

06

02

04

Bee

tles

per

ste

m

Untre

ated

HALL

MAR

KZO

EN

thiac

loprid

indox

acar

b 57

gind

oxac

arb

85g

PLEN

UM

1 DAS3-4 DAS

7-8 DAS

0

Rapidknockdown& persistent

control

Per

cent

co

ntro

l of

bee

tles

(%)

Number of days after application

1-3 DAA 3-6 DAA 7-9 DAA

Lambda-cyhalothrin 0.075 l/haThiacloprid 0.3 l/haPLENUM 0.15 kg/ha

80

90

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0

Proof of Performance

The chart above compares pollen beetle control in winter oilseed rape from three insecticides from different chemical groups. The summary is from 21 trials across seven European countries.

PLENUM, produced a robust performance, both in knockdown and persistence when compared with both lambda-cyhalothrin and thiacloprid.

The majority of these trials were conducted using pyrethroid-resistant populations.

Insecticide efficacy against pollen beetles – 2 trials 2012

Source: Syngenta approval document (30th April 2010)

Core recommendations:

Product Pest Usage rate/ha Additional information

Pollen beetle 0.15 kg/haApply at threshold levels at the green

to yellow bud stage only

Pollen beetle 75 ml/haApply at threshold levels when targeting susceptible beetles. Do not use if resistance has been confirmed or suspected

European summary PLEnUm WG

Application – plays a crucial role in product performance• Angled nozzles producing MEDIUM droplets are best

whether alone or in mix with a fungicide.

• Alternate the nozzles backwards and forwards along the boom

• The DEFY nozzle is ideal for water volumes of 100 l/ha

• The Syngenta Potato nozzles are best suited for higher water volumes, 150 to 200 l/ha

Syngenta UK Ltd CPC4, Capital Park, Fulbourn, Cambridge CB21 5XE Tel: 01223 883400 Fax: 01223 882195 Technical Enquiries Tel: 0800 169 6058 E-mail: customer.services@syngenta.com Website: www.syngenta.co.ukHALLMARK® and PLENUM® are Registered Trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company. HALLMARK with Zeon Technology (MAPP 12629) contains lambda-cyhalothrin and PLENUM WG (MAPP10652) contains pymetrozine. PLENUM WG is Dangerous to Bees refer to product label for details. Crop safety and product efficacy in mixtures have not been tested and remain at the user’s own risk. Use plant protection products safely. Always read the label and product information before use. For further product information including warning phrases and symbols refer to www.syngenta.co.uk – technical literature – product label. ©Syngenta AG February 2011. OSR. GQ 01482

Key tips:• Do not apply PLENUM to

flowering oilseed rape or where bees are actively foraging in the crop. Best time to spray is during the early morning or evening

• Take care when crops are uneven, patches may be in flower before the rest of the field. Do not use PLENUM in these situations

• If a follow-up insecticide is required, e.g. after HALLMARK ZEON, growers are advised to switch to a product with an alternative mode of action.

• If resistance has been confirmed or suspected use PLENUM

• Treat crops when pests reach threshold levels, avoid routine applications of insecticides; this will help reduce the selection pressure

• PLENUM is physically compatible with most major fungicides, add PLENUM to the spray tank first

Defy Nozzle Best on Buds

BUD TOPS BUD BOT

O3O5GATO35DEFY

POT

160

180

200

140

120

100

80

60

40

20

0