RESIDUAL TOXICITY OF CHLORANTRANILIPROLE + ABAMECTIN IN MELON LEAVES ON Apis mellifera

Abstract

In melon (Cucumis melo) growing areas, it is essential to use insecticides to control pests, what the can impact bee populations, such as Apis mellifera. In this context, knowing the toxicity of insecticides on bees is essential for the conservation of pollinators in agricultural areas. Therefore, the objective was to evaluate the residual toxicity of commercial doses of the insecticide Clorantraniliprole + Abamectin on A. mellifera in melon leaves. The experiment was conducted under laboratory conditions, in a completely randomized design and a 4x3 factorial scheme, consisting of two commercial doses of the insecticide Clorantraniliprole + Abamectin (0.0108 g a.i./L^-1 of Abamectin + 0.027 g a.i./L^-1 of Chlorantraniliprole and 0.018 g a.i./L^-1 of Abamectin + 0.045 g a.i./L-1 of Chlorantraniliprole), absolute control (distilled water) and positive control (thiamethoxam: 0.3 g a.i./L^-1) in three exposure times (1h, 2h and 3h) after spraying. Mortality and motor functions were evaluated during 1h, 2h, 3h, 4h, 5h, 6h, 12h, 24h and 48h hours after exposure, in addition, an analysis of the flight capacity of the surviving bees was carried out. The insecticide Chlorantraniliprole + Abamectin, regardless of dose and exposure time, caused 100% mortality in A. mellifera. The median lethal time (TL₅₀) of Chlorantraniliprole + Abamectin was lower than the TL₅₀ of the absolute control and higher than the TL₅₀ of the positive control, regardless of the exposure time after spraying each dose. Chlorantraniliprole + Abamectin proved to be highly toxic when in residual contact, regardless of doses and time interval after spraying.