A new acaricide based on the active ingredient etoxazole, Borneo will be available for use this year in protected tomatoes and aubergine.
Borneo, which has been granted Specific Off-Label Approval accreditation for use in protected ornamental plants, is aimed at eliminating cosmetic and economic damage to ornamentals, tomatoes and aubergines.
Dr Paul Sopp of specialist distributor Fargro explained the product: “Etoxazole, the active ingredient in Borneo, works by inhibiting chitin production, which affects moulting and growing in mites. This results in effective control of eggs and all immature stages of the spider mites. It also has an adverse effect on egg production in adult females, through its chitin inhibition, and so makes the female sterile.
“Etoxazole is from the oxaline group of insecticides and shows no cross-resistance to any other acaricides. It will have a very useful place as the first spray in the spider mite control programme, alongside conventional products like abamectin.”
Sopp also claims Borneo also shows greater persistence, with activity up to 20 days or longer, compared with the one to two weeks in other products.
Dr David Stormonth, technical manager for Interfarm, said: “Borneo is active against the two main species of spider mite - the two-spotted spider mite and the red spider mite. Because it inhibits the development of eggs and larval stages, it will give the best performance when used at the appearance of the first mobile stages of spider mites. It should be applied at a dose rate of 35ml per 100 litres of water in a minimum water volume of 500 litres per hectare.”
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