Effect of insecticides on Homoeosoma vagella Zellar damage to macadamia flowers

Abstract

Pre-bloom plus full bloom dipping of flower racemes in solutions of 0 · 05% acephate, 0·01% acephate plus 13 g per 100L Bacillus thuringiensis, 0·01% acephate, and 13 g per 100L B. thuringiensis, in descending order of efficacy, significantly reduced Homoeosoma vagella damage to macadamia flowers and increased the set of immature nuts. Similar applications of 0·01% trichlorphon plus 13 g per 100 L B. thuringiensis and 0·01% trichlorphon reduced damage but did not significantly increase nut set. The addition of 13 g per 100 L of B. thuringiensis to 0·01% acephate and to 0·01% trichlorphonhad no significant effect.