Valent’s biopesticide DiPel DF approved for use as horticultural insecticide

The biological product DiPel DF has been granted a number of new SOLAs for use as a horticultural insecticide in a number of crops including outdoor and protected grapes, apricot, plum, kiwi fruit, olive, chestnut, walnut, hazelnut (including cob nut and filbert), quince and protected blueberries. This is in addition to its existing label recommendations for the control of caterpillars in outdoor cabbage, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli, strawberries, raspberries, protected tomatoes, protected cucumbers, protected peppers, outdoor ornamentals, protected ornamentals and amenity vegetation.

Containing insecticidal crystal proteins and spores from the naturally-occurring micro-organism Bacillus thuringiensis var kurstaki, DiPel DF offers an effective and easy to use solution for the control of damaging caterpillar pests and is applied in exactly the same way as a conventional insecticide, mixing the recommended dose rate with sufficient water to give good coverage of the target crop. For these new SOLAs DiPel DF is applied with a conventional hydraulic sprayer, including air assisted hydraulic and orchard sprayers, at a maximum individual dose of 0.75 kg of product per hectare in a minimum of 1000 litres of water per hectare. The minimum interval between applications is 7 days.

DiPel DF acts as a stomach poison on target Lepidoptera pests. The larvae or caterpillars feed on the treated foliage and stop feeding rapidly, dying within 1 to 3 days of ingesting the product, just like many other insecticides. It has no resistance problems and is biodegradable, leaving no residues on the crop.

Growers need to obtain a copy of the notice of approval to use Dipel DF in outdoor and protected grapes, apricot, plum, kiwi fruit, olive, chestnut, walnut, hazelnut (including cob nut and filbert), quince and protected blueberries via the Chemicals Regulation Directorate (CRD) web site, ADAS offices or NFU. The SOLA reference number for Dipel DF is 2882 of 2010.

Developed by Valent Biosciences of the US, part of Sumitomo Chemicals, DiPel DF® contains the insecticidal crystal protein and spores from the naturally-occurring micro-organism Bacillus thuringiensis var kurstaki, formulated as a water dispersible granule. It is recommended as a biological insecticide for the control of caterpillars in vegetables, soft fruit, ornamentals and amenity vegetation. There are no restrictions on the number of treatments that can be applied. It is packed in 0.5 kgs packs.