Canada to approve continued registration for clothianidin insecticide

The Canadian Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) is proposing a renewal of the conditional registration for the sale and use of Sumitomo Chemical subsidiary Valent Canada’s clothianidin technical and clothianidin-based products Clutch 50 WDG, Arena 50 WDG and Clothianidin to control a variety of insects on potato, grape, pome fruits, stone fruits and turf. They were granted conditional registrations in 2009 for control a variety of insects on potato, grape, pome fruits, stone fruits and turf. As a condition of the original registrations, additional scientific information was requested from the applicant to be submitted by December 2012.

Additionally, the PMRA has initiated a re-evaluation of clothianidin and the other nitro-guanidine neonicotinoid insecticides that will focus on potential effects on pollinators and will include consideration of all new scientific evidence.

The applicants are required to submit the following information by December 2015: a lysimeter study conducted in coarse textured soil with a water dispersible granule (WDG) formulation; a study of behavior and fate of clothianidin in plants, including determination of concentrations in nectar and pollen and a hive study designed to assess the chronic toxicity of clothianidin to bees. The PMRA opens public comment until January 10, 2013.

Clothianidin is a member of the neonicotinoid group of insecticides. It can be applied to the foliage of plants or in-furrow to control a variety of important insect pests in several crops and turf.