New Zealand EPA hearing for insecticide cyantraniliprole application method change

New Zealand EPA has scheduled a hearing on an application to allow the insecticide Exirel to be applied aerially. Exirel is an insecticide whose active ingredient – cyantraniliprole – controls caterpillars and aphids in brassica crops used as fodder.

Exirel was initially assessed and approved for use by the EPA in June 2013 for ground-based application with a maximum of three applications per year and a minimum interval of seven days between applications.

The applicant, DuPont Limited, is looking to move to aeriAal application for use on uneven terrain and in wet conditions. DuPont has proposed an aerial application rate of 15 g ai/ha, a maximum of three times per year, within a minimum interval of 14 days between applications. This is lower than the currently approved maximum application rate of 50 g ai/ha for ground-based methods.