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With CAPRA, tuber moth is small potatoes.

  • Writer: Darren Faire
    Darren Faire
  • Nov 4
  • 2 min read

Updated: Nov 11

The potato tuber moth (Phthorimaea Operculella) is a major pest for Kiwi potato growers, particularly in the hot, dry summers of the upper North Island.


Warm weather favours insect development and the cracking of the soil surface gives the grubs easy access to potato tubers, resulting in crop losses of up to 40%. 

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Has the tuber moth finally had its chips?

Potato growers now have a powerful new tool to fight potato tuber moth. Pukekohe based Kiwi company, Agrisource, recognised the need for the potato industry to have new solutions for PTM management and committed the substantial investment required to secure a potato registration for CAPRA, a Group 22A Insecticide that delivers broad-spectrum control of crop damaging butterflies and moths.



"After four years of rigorous trialling, Agrisource is delighted to have registration approval for CAPRA® insecticide from the ACVM"



A novel active ingredient for better potatoes.

 CAPRA is the only indoxacarb insecticide in New Zealand registered for potato use.

A member of the oxadiazine class of insecticides, indoxacarb remains stable under a range of conditions. It is absorbed into the waxy cuticle of the leaves to provide lasting residual activity and is resistant to wash-off by rainfall or overhead irrigation. Used primarily as a larvicide, CAPRA is ingested with foliage, with some additional absorption through the insect cuticle. Insect pests exposed to CAPRA typically stop feeding within 0-4 hours with paralysis and death occurring within 4-48 hours. It also has activity on eggs (ovilarvicidal). 



"Growers need access to PTM insecticides that are specifically registered for use on potatoes, carry label directions and have proven efficacy and residue profiles. Agrisource is proud to give growers another tool to help maximise yield and crop quality."



Daniel Sutton of Potatoes NZ agrees. “It’s encouraging to see the resources committed by Agrisource to developing this proven, highly effective tool and making it available to the New Zealand potato industry. What’s so positive about the registration of this active ingredient is that it adds to the potato growers toolbox to manage tuber moth. Resistance by PTM to insecticides is known to occur in various parts of the world and growers will welcome the fact that this Group 22A Insecticide will be a smart resistance management tool, used in rotation with different modes of action, to reduce selection pressure placed on current chemistries”



Getting the best out of CAPRA


  • Apply CAPRA at 400ml/ha with a non-ionic surfactant.

  • Apply at first sightings of moths or first appearance of foliage mining and repeat at  7 - 15 day intervals. 

  • Crop monitoring / scouting is recommended after an application of CAPRA and depending on results a reapplication of CAPRA should be carried out if necessary.

  • Use the shorter interval when insect pressure is high.

 

Resistance Management

  • DO NOT apply more than two sequential applications, and / or more than four applications in any one crop.

  • Further treatments should be made with alternative mode of action insecticides. 

 


For more information check out our webpage https://www.agrisource.co.nz/capra



® CAPRA is a registered trademark of Agri Solutions Limited

® Registered trademarks


Registered pursuant to the ACVM Act 1997 No. P9928

Approved pursuant to HSNO Act 1996 No. HSR000583

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