First In Its Class

The year was 1994, and it looked like the insects were going to win. In Arizona and California, white fly populations threatened to ruin vegetable production. Insecticide-resistant Colorado potato beetles were devastating potato production on Long Island. In the Midwest, grub infestations were tearing up golf courses and lawns. And PCOs were searching for new solutions to termite problems. "Clearly the industry needed a new weapon in its arsenal," said Rob Fleshman, Bayer Corporation structural protection product manager.

Bayer Corporation was preparing to launch a new weapon that would help control insects in a variety of markets. Imidacloprid, the active ingredient in Premise Insecticide, would soon work to solve each of the above problems and set new standards for insect control.

"This chemistry has been an excellent tool for many people. It has helped keep vegetable production in key regions of the United States, and it has given the turf professionals a major advantage over grubs. In the pest control market, Premise has significantly reduced termiticide retreats for pest control operators across the country," Fleshman said.

Since 1985, imidacloprid has experienced success in controlling an array of insects. "The degree of success that we’ve had with imidacloprid has far exceeded our wildest dreams," said Dr. Robert Steffens, senior product development manager in the agriculture division.

Imidacloprid works differently than traditional insecticides and it is important to understand how its discovery relates to insect management.

A New Discovery. At Bayer, scientists were exploring alternative chemical classes that had new modes of action, improved performance with low risk to people and the environment. Imidacloprid research began with a naturally occurring chemical in the crude extracts of tobacco. The substance, nicotine, kills insects by inhibiting their nervous system. While nicotine is an effective insecticide, it was not stable, was impractical to produce and did not offer a comfortable margin of safety.

However, thanks to a different approach to neonicotinoid research, Japanese Bayer scientists made a discovery in the 1970s that would solve the issue of stability. With this discovery, scientists uncovered a new class of chemistry that would soon revolutionize insect control. This chemical class would later be called chloronicotinyl.

Imidacloprid was one of the many compounds synthesized in this new chemical class. Bayer decided to put imidacloprid on the fast track to speed development and bring it to the market as soon as possible because of its early successes.

Imidacloprid first showed up first on the market as a crop protection insecticide in many parts of the world. In the United States, it was first introduced as a turf and ornamental product. The pest control industry was first introduced to imidacloprid in 1996 through Premise. In February, the company also launched Pre-Empt Professional Cockroach Gel Bait, a new cockroach product containing imidacloprid, which helps PCOs control cockroaches. Bayer worked to develop a bait formulation that delivers speed, efficacy and long-lasting protection. Results are achieved through direct consumption of the bait or by feeding on affected cockroach corpses.

A Formula for Success. Imidacloprid brought new features to insect control that were not possible with other insecticides. One of the greatest strengths of this new chemistry is how it performs in the soil. In the past, PCOs used termiti-cides that repelled insects away from a structure by creating a barrier. The imidaclo-prid in Premise creates a zone that termites cannot detect. Insects unknowingly enter the zone, are immediately affected and soon die.

"Premise is a much more forgiving termiticide than others on the market because it is a non-repellent," said Doug Mampe, president of DM Associates, a pest control consultant research firm in Bradenton, Florida. "It kills termites. When they’re dead, you don’t have to worry as much about callbacks!"

Another positive aspect of imidacloprid is a characteristic called "Lateral Soil Movement." For Premise, this means that the chemistry moves in a lateral direction when applied to the soil providing better coverage with less potential for treatment gaps.

Plans for the Future. Bayer continues to work on application methods and new formulations using imidacloprid in the pest control market. The company has plans to develop new delivery systems for greater convenience to PCOs and it is also working to harness the non-repellent power of Premise and change use patterns for soil termiticides.

"PCOs may no longer need to treat every conceivable point of termite entry in a house, but just where the termites are found. We are working with regulatory agencies and developing a label to make this happen," said Dr. Byron Reid, Bayer structural protection research product manager. "The company’s focus is on delivering tools to reinvent termite control in the 21st century."

Bayer officials agree that their company’s goal is to listen to the needs of their customers and work to develop products that meet those needs. "Bayer is a basic research company. We have developed many innovations throughout the century," Fleshman said. "The company is dedicated to committing the resources necessary to create innovative solutions that address our customers needs."