Safety Evaluation of Diafenthiuron 50WP (NS) to Non Target Organisms

Laboratory investigations were carried out toevaluate its acute toxicity to C. punctiferalis, safety to non target insects like honey bees viz., Apis dorsata F., Apis cerana indica F., Apis florea F. and Trigona iridipennis Smith. Diafenthiruon 50 WP (NS) at its highest dose of 1600 and 800 g a.i. ha⁻¹ was found slightly harmful to A. dorsata, A. cerana indica and A. florea by recording more than 70 per cent mortality and it was moderately toxic to T. iridipennis, where the mortality is above 80 per cent. Meanwhile 400 g a.i. ha⁻¹ was found safer to A. dorsata (46.67%) and A. cerana indica (39.27%) at 48 hours after treatment, while it was slightly harmful to A. florea (63.33%) and T. iridipennis (60.00%).