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Batavia is a new two-way systemic ketoenol insecticide to control sucking pests in top fruit and selected soft-fruit crops.

It's becoming increasingly hard to keep on top of sucking pest problems in fruit. This can lead to crop rejection or reduction in value, hitting your profit margins.

Batavia fills the gap with an active substance that's new to UK fruit growers, yet is proven in European and UK vegetable crops.

Applied in the early stages of pest migration and colonisation, it gives thorough population control of a range of sucking pest species. Batavia is particularly recommended against aphids but is also active against pests like apple scale, making it highly cost-effective.

Ensure maximum marketable quality and yield. Rely on Batavia to do the heavy lifting in sucking pest control.

Applications must be made via broadcast air-assisted sprayers in a water volume of 500-1,500 L/ha from May, starting at BBCH 69 (end of flowering) to September, at BBCH 81 (beginning of ripening).

Sucking pest in apples, pears, cherries, plums and strawberries

Optimal timing is critical to get the most from Batavia.

In principle, use from BBCH 69 (post-flowering) up to BBCH 81 (onset of maturity phase) in outdoor apple, pear, cherry and plum – in other words, when there is sufficient leaf area and active growth for good movement of sap in the redistributive phloem.

Due to the mode of action, don't expect rapid knock-down of pests. Obvious control usually occurs after 3-7 days and depends on the pest stage – the youngest larvae are the most susceptible and adults least susceptible.

This is why timing of the first application is key – too early, and the active substance will run out of steam; too late and populations will have become established, making control more difficult.

Don't forget that there are two situations to consider:

1. Sucking pests that mainly remain in the orchard and over-winter (e.g. mussel scales/woolly apple aphid). Apply Batavia when pests start to migrate towards the new growth to feed and reproduce.

2. Migratory sucking pests that tend to over-winter elsewhere and arrive in the orchard during the season. Time applications of Batavia in the early stages of infestation to prevent population build-up before large colonies develop.

Repeat application after a minimum of 14 days if you need further control, and ensure you use alternative MoAs within your insecticide programme. To be certain of timing, however, consult your advisor. You can also contact the fruit specialists in our horticulture team.