Four experimental insecticides being developed for lepidopterous insect control in vegetable crops were applied on cabbage and demonstrated efficacy against cabbage looper (Trichoplusia ni, CL). Chlorfenapyr (Alert®), tebufenozide (Confirm®), spinosad (Success®), and emamectin- benzoate (Proclaim®) reduced the number of larger cabbage loopers following multiple applications. The experimental insecticides were comparable or superior to the commercially available standard treatments of thiodicarb (Larvin®), methomyl (Lannate®), or cryolite (Kryocide®). Evaluations at 7 days after treatment (DAT) showed that Success controlled CL so that no medium to large -sized larvae were observed. Alert, Confirm, and Proclaim were highly effective and less than 0.3 CL/plant were detected. The untreated cabbage had 0.5 to 1.1 CL/plant that were medium to large-sized at various observation dates.

In a small plot field study, diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella, DBM) in cabbage were not significantly reduced by various insecticide treatments when applied one time during the season. ABG -6406 (Abbott Laboratories), Success® (spinosad, DowElanco), and Kryocide® generally maintained larger -sized DBM larval numbers below or similar to the untreated check at most rating dates. Cabbage treated by Xentari®, Alert® (clorfenapyr, Cyanamid), Confirm® (tebufenozide, Rohm and Haas) and Proclaim® (emamectin benzoate, Novartis) exhibited numbers of larger -sized larvae that exceeded the untreated check at certain rating dates. DBM populations were not consistent during the testing period to allow assessment of treatment differences.

Downy mildew of broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower is caused by the plant pathogenic fungus Peronospora parasitica. Cool damp weather with high humidity is highly favorable for sporulation, dissemination of spores, and infection by this pathogen. The severity of disease is affected by the duration of these weather conditions favorable for disease development. Potential new fungicides were evaluated for disease control in a field trial conducted in the winter of 1992-93. For broccoli, no significant differences in disease severity were detected among treatments. On the other hand, Microthiol and Microthiol + Maneb significantly reduced the number of downy mildew lesions on cabbage and cauliflower compared to nontreated plants. Maneb alone provided significant disease control on cabbage, but not on cauliflower.