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AVID approved for tomato psyllid

NEWS HIGHLIGHT

AVID approved for tomato psyllid
The Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) recently announced the
approval of a minor use registration for AVID (abamectin) insecticide/miticide
for control of tomato psyllid on greenhouse peppers and tomatoes.

Sept. 28, 2009 — The Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) recently announced the
approval of a minor use registration for AVID (abamectin) insecticide/miticide
for control of tomato psyllid on greenhouse peppers and tomatoes. The active
ingredient abamectin was already labeled in Canada for control of leafminers,
pear psylla and spider mites on potatoes, pome fruit, strawberries,
caneberries, greenhouse ornamentals, greenhouse peppers, cucumbers and tomatoes.

Tomato psyllid (Paratrioza cockerelli) is a new pest of
greenhouse vegetables in Canada and has been the subject of minor use
prioritization by greenhouse vegetable producers for several years. Feeding by
psyllids not only causes yellowing of the plant, but can also result in loss of
vigour and yield due to a combination of reduced fruit set and fruit size.
Until now, there have been no products available to producers to manage this
pest in Canada.

AVID insecticide/miticide can be used for control of tomato psyllids at
a rate of 30 mL product per 100 L water. It is recommended that the application
should be made preferably in 2,000 – 4,000 L of water per hectare. The pre-harvest
interval for greenhouse peppers and tomatoes is three days. Consult with your crop
advisor for application timings and do not apply more than five applications
per year.

Follow all other directions for use and precautions on the AVID
insecticide/miticide label carefully.

AVID insecticide/miticide should be used in an IPM program and in
rotation with other management strategies to adequately manage resistance.

We thank the British Columbia Greenhouse Growers and the British
Columbia Ministry of Agriculture and Lands for sponsoring this minor use label
expansion. We also wish to thank Syngenta Crop Protection Canada for their
support of this registration and the personnel of the Pest Management
Regulatory Agency for evaluating and approving this important pest management
tool.

For copies of the new minor use label, contact Ontario Ministry of
Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Greenhouse vegetable IPM specialist Gillian
Ferguson at Harrow at 519-738-1258, or visit the Engage Agro (www.engageagro.com) or Plant Products (www.plantprod.com) websites.

Jim Chaput is the Minor Use Coordinator with the Ontario Ministry of
Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs in Guelph.