Chemical management options
Chemical users should always follow the insecticide label instructions. Permits are approved by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) to allow off-label use to manage a pest or situation that is not on the label. Instructions and restrictions on the permit must be applied as well as instructions on the label such as safety directions, plant back periods, withholding periods and other instructions.
Resistance management
Reviewed May 2024
Various insecticides are available under APVMA permits for use against fall armyworm, however the reliance on insecticides for fall armyworm control on a global scale has led to the development of resistance to many chemical groups.
Ongoing research by NSW DPIRD scientists funded by the Cotton Research and Development Corporation is progressively adding to our understanding of both the natural susceptibility of Australian fall armyworm populations to pesticides and their current levels of resistance to key chemical groups.
Data available in April 2021 indicates that there is minimal resistance to selective insecticides containing actives such as emamectin benzoate (group 6 – avermectins e.g. Affirm®) and the Group 5 (spinosyns) insecticides spinosad and spinetoram (e.g. Entrust® and Success Neo®).
Australian fall armyworm populations also remain relatively susceptible to the Group 28 (diamides) insecticide chlorantraniliprole (e.g. Altacor®), based on similar dose responses to susceptible strains of cotton bollworm.
Genetic markers for carbamate (group 1A) and organophosphate (group 1B) resistance have been found in Australian populations, and they are 50–80 times less susceptible to synthetic pyrethroids (group 3A ) than the cotton bollworm (Helicoverpa armigera). There is strong evidence that this is metabolic (rather than target site) resistance, and it is highly unlikely that pyrethroids will provide effective fall armyworm control.
It is important that this susceptibility to effective chemistries be maintained by using integrated pest management (IPM) programs that involve regular monitoring to identify early outbreaks, timely applications of selective insecticides only to above-threshold populations and rotating selective insecticides with different modes of action.
Following these guidelines will help to minimise the cost of fall armyworm control while making the most of natural enemy populations present in the crop, the benefits of which will be destroyed by broad-spectrum insecticides that are unlikely to provide effective control.
Growers must ensure that any chemical treatment chosen for fall armyworm control is covered by an APVMA permit or registration for the crop being treated.
Table 1. Products registered and permits issued by the Australian Pesticides and veterinary Medicines Authority for fall armyworm control
Note: many permits are approved for crop groups (eg leafy vegetables or bulb vegetables). Specific crops covered by each crop group description can be checked by following the link in the crop column, or at https://apvma.gov.au/crop-groups
For more on Mode of Action groups, visit the CropLife Australia website
WHP = Withholding period
H = harvest G = grazing
Crop | APVMA Approval | Insecticide | Harvest WHP (days) | Grazing & fodder WHP (days) | Mode of Action |
Blueberries | Proclaim | Emamectin benzoate 44g/kg | 5 | NA | 6 - avermectins |
Blueberries | Coragen | Chlorantraniliprole 200g/L | 3 | NA | 28 - diamides |
Entrust organic qualcova | Spinosad 240g/L | 3 | 14 | 5 - spinosyns | |
Entrust organic qualcova | Spinosad 240g/L | 3 | 14 | 5 - spinosyns | |
Entrust organic qualcova | Spinosad 240g/L | 1 | 14 | 5 - spinosyns | |
Capsicum | Coragen | Chlorantraniliprole 200g/L | 3 | 7 | 28 - diamides |
Capsicum | Proclaim Opti | Emamectin benzoate 44g/kg | 3 | Do not graze or cut for fodder | 6 - avermectins |
Capsicum | Success Neo | Spinetoram 120g/L | 1 | Do not graze or cut for fodder | 5 - spinosyns |
Cereal grains fodder and forage crops | Fawligen | Spodoptera frugiperda multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus strain 3AP2 | NA | NA | 31 - NPV |
Cereal grains fodder and forage crops | Spodovir plus | Spodoptera frugiperda multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus isolate | NA | NA | 31 - NPV |
Coffee | Entrust organic qualcova | Spinosad 240g/L | 7 | 14 | 5 - spinosyns |
Cotton | Allowed in NSW by Pesticides Regulation 2017, section 57 | Emamectin 17g/L | 28 | 28 | 6 - avermectins |
Cotton | Fawligen | Spodoptera frugiperda multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus strain 3AP2 | NA | NA | 31 - NPV |
Cotton | Spodovir plus | Spodoptera frugiperda multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus isolate | NA | NA | 31 - NPV |
Entrust organic qualcova | Spinosad 240g/L | 3 | 14 | 5 - spinosyns | |
Entrust organic qualcova | Spinosad 240g/L | 3 | 14 | 5 - spinosyns | |
Fawligen | Spodoptera frugiperda multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus strain 3AP2 | NA | NA | 31 - NPV | |
Entrust organic qualcova | Spinosad 240g/L | 3 | 14 | 5 - spinosyns | |
Ginger | Success Neo | Spinetoram 120g/L | 3 | Do not graze or feed treated to livestock | 5 - spinosyns |
Kiwi fruit | Entrust organic qualcova | Spinosad 240g/L | 7 | 14 | 5 - spinosyns |
Fawligen | Spodoptera frugiperda multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus strain 3AP2 | NA | NA | 31 - NPV | |
Entrust organic qualcova | Spinosad 240g/L | 3 | 14 | 5 - spinosyns | |
Entrust organic qualcova | Spinosad 240g/L | 3 | 14 | 5 - spinosyns | |
Fawligen | Spodoptera frugiperda multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus strain 3AP2 | NA | NA | 31 - NPV | |
Spodovir plus | Spodoptera frugiperda multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus isolate | NA | NA | 31 - NPV | |
Linseed | Steward EC | Indoxacarb 150g/L | 28 | 28 | 22A - oxadiazines |
Maize Popcorn Teosinite | Tetraniliprole 480g/L | 1 | 14 | 28 - diamides | |
Maize | Tetraniliprole 200g/L | 14 | 14 | 28 - diamides | |
Maize | Methoxyfenozide 300g/L & spinetoram 60g/L | 28 | 14 | 18 - diacylhydrazines 5 - spinosyns | |
(including maize, popcorn and teosinte) | Steward EC and others | Indoxacarb 150g/L | 14 | 14 | 22A - oxadiazines |
(including maize, popcorn and teosinte) | Success Neo and others | Spinetoram 120g/L | 14 | 14 Do not feed to lactating dairy animals | 5 - spinosyns |
(including maize, popcorn and teosinte) | Altacor or Vantacor | Chlorantraniliprole 350g/kg or 600g/L | 14 | 14 | 28 - diamides |
Maize and popcorn | Intrepid Edge and others | Methoxyfenozide 300g/L and spinetoram 60g/L | 28 | 14 | 18 – diacylhydrazines 5 - spinosyns |
Millet | Vantacor | Chlorantraniliprole 600g/L | 14 | 14 | 28 - diamides |
Nursery stock (non-food) & ornamentals | Coragen Acelepryn GR Proclaim Prodigy | Chlorantraniliprole 200g/L Chlorantraniliprole 2g/L Emamectin 44g/kg Methoxyfenozide 240g/L | NA | NA | 28 – diamides 28 – diamides 6 - avermectins 18 - diacylhydrazines |
Nursery stock (non-food) and ornamentals | Success Neo | Spinetoram 120g/L | NA | NA | 5- spinosyns |
Nursery stock non-food and ornamentals | Durivo and others | Chlorantraniliprole 100g/L & thiamethoxam 200g/L | NA | NA | 28 – diamides 4A - neonicotinoids |
Oilseed fodder and forage crops | Fawligen | Spodoptera frugiperda multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus strain 3AP2 | NA | NA | 31 - NPV |
Oilseed fodder and forage crops | Spodovir plus | Spodoptera frugiperda multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus isolate | NA | NA | 31 - NPV |
Ornamentals, flowers and plants | Fawligen | Spodoptera frugiperda multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus strain 3AP2 | NA | NA | 31 - NPV |
Ornamentals, flowers, and plants | Spodovir plus | Spodoptera frugiperda multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus isolate | NA | NA | 31 - NPV |
Ornamentals | Entrust organic qualcova | Spinosad 240g/L | Nil | 14 | 5 - spinosyns |
Pulses fodder and forage crops | Spodovir plus | Spodoptera frugiperda multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus isolate | NA | NA | 31 - NPV |
Pulses fodder and forage crops | Fawligen | Spodoptera frugiperda multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus strain 3AP2 | NA | NA | 31 - NPV |
Rice | Vantacor | Chlorantraniliprole 600g/L | 14 | 14 | 28 - diamides |
Fawligen | Spodoptera frugiperda multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus strain 3AP2 | NA | NA | 31 - NPV | |
Spodovir plus | Spodoptera frugiperda multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus isolate | NA | NA | 31 - NPV | |
Entrust organic qualcova | Spinosad 240g/L | 3 | 14 | 5 - spinosyns | |
Entrust organic qualcova | Spinosad 240g/L | 1 | 14 | 5 - spinosyns | |
Sorghum Millet Hungry rice, Job’s tears & teff | Tetraniliprole 480g/L | Nil | 7 | 28 - diamides | |
Sorghum and Millet | Success Neo and others | Spinetoram 120g/L | Nil | 14 Do not feed to lactating dairy animals | 5 - spinosyns |
Sorghum | Emamectin 17g/L | 28 | 14 | 6 - avermectins | |
Sorghum | Vantacor | Chlorantraniliprole 600g/L | 14 | 14 | 28 - diamides |
Sweet corn Baby corn | Tetraniliprole 480g/L | 1 | 1 | 28 - diamides | |
Sweet corn | Tetraniliprole 200g/L | 1 | 14 | 28 - diamides | |
Sweet corn | Emamectin 44g/kg | 3 | 56 | 6 - avermectins | |
Sweet corn | Avatar Envo | Indoxacarb 303g/kg | 3 | 3 | 22A - oxadiazines |
Sweet corn | Coragen | Chlorantraniliprole 200g/L | 7 | 7 | 28 - diamides |
Sweet corn | Success Neo | Spinetoram 120g/L | 3 | 3 Do not feed to lactating dairy cows | 5 - spinosyns |
Sweetcorn | Fawligen | Spodoptera frugiperda multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus strain 3AP2 | NA | NA | 31 - NPV |
Sweetcorn, corn | Spodovir plus | 5x108 occlusion bodies of Spodoptera frugiperda multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus isolate 19 per millilitre | NA | NA | 31 - NPV |
Sweet corn | Entrust organic qualcova | Spinosad 240g/L | Nil | 14 | 5 - spinosyns |
Tropical and sub-tropical fruit crops (inedible peel) excluding avocado, mango, and banana | Entrust organic qualcova | Spinosad 240g/L | Nil | 14 | 5 - spinosyns |
Affirm and others | Emamectin benzoate 17g/L | Nil – do not apply after flag leaf emergence | 6 weeks | 6 - avermectins |
