Studies were conducted in small plot field trials to evaluate the efficacy of several experimental and conventional insecticide chemistries against western flower thrips in head lettuce. Results from two trials using new experimental compounds showed that several insecticides have potential for management of thrips populations. All of the products appear to be good candidates for thrips control and had efficacy against adults and nymphs. Success and Fipronil consistently provided comparable control to the standard Lannate/Ammo. In the trial evaluating conventional compounds, Orthene/Mustang and Lannate/Ammo combinations provided the best control of both adult and nymphs. Plant size and temperature may be important factors contributing to the efficacy of these products.

Several new insecticide chemistries were evaluated and compared with standard chemistries for temporal and diagnostic mortality of beet armyworm in lettuce. Field and lab bioassays of small and large armyworm mortality were conducted at pre- thinning thinning postthinning and harvest stages of lettuce. Results from both the field and laboratory indicated similar trends for the temporal activity of the products. The compounds with translaminar activity (Alert, Success, and Proclaim) appear to be have the most rapid "knockdown activity" with 100% mortality consistently occurring by 1-2 DAT. Because of their rapid activity, a large proportion of larvae are found dead on the plants. The products that need to be ingested to cause larval mortality (Larvin, Confirm, Neemix, Crymax, Cryolite, MP 062) generally varied significantly in temporal mortality and in efficacy against larvae. Unlike the translaminar products, a large proportion of larvae on were often found missing from treated plants The results of this study provide basic guidelines concerning the activity and assessment of the performance of these materials in the field PCAs and growers will ultimately be able to develop specific use patterns for these materials within their individual lettuce pest management programs.

Several new insecticide chemistries were evaluated and compared with standard chemistries for temporal and diagnostic mortality of cabbage looper in lettuce. Three field bioassays of small and large larval mortality were conducted at pre-thinning, thinning, and postthinning, stages of lettuce. The compounds with translaminar activity (Alert, Success, and Proclaim) appear to be have the most rapid "knockdown activity" with 100% mortality consistently occurring by 1 -2 DAT. Because of their rapid activity, a large proportion of larvae are found dead on the plants. The products that need to be ingested to cause larval mortality (Larvin Confirm, Neemix, Crymax, Cryolite, MP 062) generally varied significantly in temporal mortality and in efficacy against larvae. Unlike the translaminar products, a large proportion of larvae on were often found missing from treated plants. The results of this study provide basic guidelines concerning the activity and assessment of the performance of these materials in the field PCAs and growers will ultimately be able to develop specific use patterns for these materials within their individual lettuce pest management programs.

For the second year, a large block experiment was conducted at the Yuma Ag Center to compare the field performance of three lettuce management programs for control of lepidopterous larvae. Conventional, experimental and biorational insecticides were sprayed to control beet armyworm, cabbage looper and Heliothis species throughout the growing season. Differences in populations of total larvae among the four treatments, relative to insecticide treatments and timing of application were observed throughout the season. In general, the standard and experimental treatments provided the most consistent control of lepidopterous larvae following each application. Harvest data showed that the spray regimes had a significant influence of head lettuce yield or quality. Maturity and quality were significantly reduced in the untreated control. An economic analysis shows that net returns varied widely among the management programs at different market prices. In conclusion, this study provides preliminary data to support the need for more development of experimental and biorational insecticide products as alternatives to conventional management programs in desert lettuce production.

Mustang 1.5EW, Ammo 2.5EC, Pounce 3,2EC, Scout X-TRA, and three formulations of Karate were compared for efficacy to cabbage loopers infesting head lettuce in Yuma, AZ Karate and Pounce provided the most consistent cabbage looper control followed by Mustang and Scout X-TRA. Ammo appeared slightly inferior to the other pyrethroids tested. There did not appear to be any obvious differences in the efficacy of the three Karate formulations.

Admire (imidacloprid), applied as a soil treatment, protected lettuce plants from developing infestations of green peach aphid, Myzus persicae (Sulzer), for 60-100 d after planting based on two small plot and two commercial field trials. Admire applied 7.6 cm sub-seed furrow provided longer and more consistent protection from green peach aphid than treatments applied to the soil surface, as a side-dress, or 15.2 cm sub-seed furrow. Surface band applications of Admire provided inconsistent control probably because of inadequate hydrological incorporation into the soil. In small plot trials, effective control of aphids by Admire applied 7.6 cm sub seed furrow resulted in greater than 90.0% marketable heads while the untreated plots contained 20.0% marketable heads. When used in a commercial setting, Admire applied 7.6 cm sub-seed furrow on leaf lettuce prevented aphid colonization (<3 aphids per plant) for approximately 100 d after planting, while the untreated and commercial standard treated areas contained 30.7 and 26.8 aphids per plant respectively at 100 d after planting. In addition, marketability of lettuce was greater in Admire treated plots. As a sub-seed furrow treatment, Admire provides a more suitable approach to aphid control than is currently available with foliar insecticides.