Insecticides applied to soil of transplant plugs for Bagrada hilaris (Burmeister) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) management in broccoli

• The utility of seedling tray drench application of insecticides was studied.
• Neonicotinoid insecticides and cyclaniliprole had efficacy against Bagrada hilaris.
• Seedling tray drench application is an effective method for Bagrada hilaris control.
• This tactic can improve integrated pest management for Bagrada hilaris.

Chemical control with insecticides, typically applied as foliar sprays or chemigation, is the primary tactic used to manage Bagrada hilaris (Burmeister) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae). We evaluated the efficacy of 14 insecticides, including both systemic and non-systemic insecticides, against B. hilaris applied as a seedling tray drench. Experiments were conducted in both greenhouse and field settings. In all experiments, we used the maximum label rate of insecticides and calculated dose per seedling based on this rate and standard plant density per hectare. Each seedling in the tray received 2-mL insecticide solution, and the seedlings were then exposed to B. hilaris adults after transplanting in cages for greenhouse experiments or natural B. hilaris populations in the field experiments. A scale system (0–4) was used to evaluate the severity of B. hilaris feeding injury on leaves where 0 = no injury and 4 = >75% of the leaf margins with B. hilaris feeding injury. We evaluated damage using the rating system, percentage of damaged leaves, number of feeding injury sites, as well as plant height, leaf width, and fresh and dry weight. In the greenhouse experiment, percentage of injured leaves, number of injury sites, and damage rating were significantly lower for transplants treated with acetamiprid, clothianidin, dinotefuran, imidacloprid, and thiamethoxam, and cyclaniliprole compared with the untreated. There was a relationship between feeding injury sites and plant height, leaf width, fresh and dry weight (R2 > 0.5) in both 2015 field experiments. Similarly, the transplants treated with acetamiprid, clothianidin, dinotefuran, imidacloprid, thiamethoxam, thiamethoxam + chlorantraniliprole, imidacloprid + β-cyfluthrin and cyclaniliprole had significantly lower damage ratings than those treated with chlorpyrifos, bifenthrin, tolfenpyrad, flonicamid, cyantraniliprole, spinetoram and the untreated control. For transplanted broccoli, treatment of transplant plugs with neonicotinoid insecticides prior to planting can be an effective method for controlling B. hilaris.