Three new insecticide chemistries (Alert, Success and Confirm) were evaluated and compared with standard chemistries for residual activity to beet armyworm in lettuce. Lettuce was treated in the field with the insecticides and left for 0, 3, 5 and 7 days. Leaves from treated plants were then brought into the laboratory where second instar beet armvworms were reared on them. Mortality was estimated 5 days after the worms were placed on the leaves. Bioassay were conducted at the thinning, heading, and harvest stages of lettuce. Under high temperature and light intensity, only Alert and Confirm provided the best residual control of beet armyworm, exhibiting good activity for about 3 days after application. Success had better residual activity than Lannate, and both were better than Xentari. Under cool temperatures and low light intensity conditions, Alert, Confirm and Larvin exhibited good activity for at least 5 days following an application, (7 days or greater for Alert and Confirm). Lannate and Xentari both had greater residual activity late in the season, but were not as effective as Alert, Confirm or Larvin. Late season activity of Success did not appear to differ much from early season observations, and did not appear to provide more than 3 days residual activity.

Provado insecticide (imidacloprid) was compared to Admire and other standard insecticides for management of aphids in head lettuce in Yuma 1995 and 1996. Foliar applications of Provado appear to provide an alternative method of controlling aphids on lettuce comparable to prophylactic applications of Admire. The prevention of aphid colonization in lettuce heads with Provado may depend greatly on the timing and frequency of applications before harvest occurs. These studies and other studies on spinach suggest that more than one application of Provado will be necessary to adequately suppress aphid contamination in heads. The label suggests that applications be timed 5-7 apart. Our data tends to support this recommendation. Furthermore, timing applications should be based on days to harvest, level of aphid colonization and duration of aphid migration.