Bayer launches new insecticide Movento for brassica and lettuce growers

Bayer has launched a revolutionary new insecticide for the control of sucking pests from brassica and lettuce.

The new insecticide, named Movento, has been approved for use on both salad and brassica crops, including Brussel sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli and indoor and outdoor lettuce.

Movento eradicates common brassica pests such as cabbage aphids, peach potato aphids and whitefly, and in lettuce it controls blackcurrant lettuce aphids, peach potato aphids and lettuce root aphids.

Bayer says the product is a long-term solution which affects population build-up by distributing up and down all the plant to protect new growth and target hidden pests in leaves and roots.

Movento contains the active ingredient spirotetramat, which inhibits lipid biosynthesis in insects so they cannot reproduce.

“That stops potential population explosion in its tracks,” said Dr Richard Meredith, Bayer’s horticultural development manager.

“Because it targets sucking pests specifically, and doesn’t affect predators, it’s highly Integrated Pest Management (IPM) compatible with no risk to bees.”

Growers can use up to two treatments per crop and are advised to apply it when crops are actively growing and pests are actively feeding. May to September is the key use period.

But Dr Meredith recommended growers use Movento as part of an integrated pest strategy and said treatments should be timed carefully for optimum affect.

Independent trials on Brussel sprouts showed a well-timed application of Movento can achieve 100% control of mealy cabbage and peach-potato aphids.