Beneficials Chemical Toxicity Table for vegetable crops
Decision aid tool Vegetable crops
A simple, practical tool for Australian vegetable growers and advisers to consider the potential impacts of foliar insecticides to beneficial insects (and mites), supporting more informed chemical choices.
Making crop protection choices that support beneficials
Crop protection products, such as insecticides and miticides, play an important role in managing pests in vegetable crops. However, these chemicals can also impact beneficial species, like predators and parasitoids, that help control pest populations naturally.
One way to overcome this is by selecting chemicals with lower toxicity to beneficials. However, comparing the toxicity of different products isn’t always straightforward.
Introducing a practical tool for vegetable growers and advisers
The Beneficials Chemical Toxicity Table for vegetable crops helps vegetable growers and advisers make informed choices about the insecticides and miticides they use. It’s a quick and easy way to compare the toxicity of different chemicals to beneficial species, supporting crop protection decisions that help preserve beneficial insect (and mite) populations.
The table has been developed for Australian vegetable production systems including brassicas, leafy vegetables, root and tuber vegetables, stalk and stem vegetables, fruiting vegetables (incl.cucurbits), and legumes. It builds on the guides to pesticide effects on beneficials previously developed by IPM Technologies, SARDI and QDPI.
Always check the product label to confirm that an insecticide is registered for your crop and target pest.
Data has been obtained from laboratory studies conducted by Cesar Australia, as well as existing research undertaken in Australia and overseas. This table will be updated as new data becomes available, with industry feedback also informing future revisions. For more information or to provide feedback, contact us at info@cesaraustralia.com
Attribution
This table was developed by Paul Umina (Cesar Australia and the University of Melbourne), Lisa Kirkland (Cesar Australia), Rosemary Knapp (Cesar Australia) and Ary Hoffmann (the University of Melbourne). This work represents a collaboration between Cesar Australia and the University of Melbourne, with investment from Hort Innovation.
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- Categories
- Integrated pest management