Current status of the greenhouse whitefly, Trialeurodes vaporariorum, susceptibility to neonicotinoid and conventional insecticides on strawberries in southern California.

Since 1998, the greenhouse whitefly, Trialeurodes vaporariorum Westwood (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae), has emerged as a major insect pest of many horticultural crops in coastal California. Control of this pest has been heavily dependent upon chemical insecticides. Objectives of this study were to determine the status of the greenhouse whitefly susceptibility to neonicotinoid and conventional insecticides on strawberries in Oxnard/Ventura, a year-round intensive horticultural production area of southern California.

Application of competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the quantification of imidacloprid titers in xylem fluid extracted from grapevines.

A competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique was evaluated for quantifying titers of imidacloprid in xylem fluid extracted from Vitis vinifera L. grapevines that were treated with systemic applications of the neonicotinoid insecticide Admire. Evidence of matrix effects, factors that compromise the precision and accuracy of the ELISA, was present in assays with undiluted xylem fluid.

Spatial and temporal distribution of imidacloprid and thiamethoxam in citrus and impact on Homalodisca coagulata populations.

Titers of two systemic neonicotinoid insecticides in citrus trees were measured in conjunction with conventional evaluations of their impact on glassy-winged sharpshooter (Homalodisca coagulata (Say); GWSS) populations. Xylem fluid samples were collected at regular intervals and from multiple locations within field-grown citrus trees to determine imidacloprid and thiamethoxam concentrations using commercial ELISA kits. Uptake profiles varied considerably with peak mean titers of imidacloprid occurring 6-8 weeks after application compared with 2 weeks for thiamethoxam.