Natural olive-derived compound, controls insecticide-resistant cabbage stem flea beetle

Scientists at Rothamsted Research and ApresLabs Ltd have demonstrated that SYN-A, a naturally derived synergist extracted from olive oil, can restore the effectiveness of pyrethroid insecticides against CSFB, the most devastating autumn pest of oilseed rape.In simulated field experiments, plants sprayed with a mixture of SYN-A and lambda-cyhalothrin increased cabbage stem flea beetle (CSFB) mortality from 20% to 75% and reduced plant damage by at least 50% compared to lambda-cyhalothrin applications alone.