Methomyl

Agriltural Insecticides USE

Methomyl is a broad-spectrum insecticide that is used to kill insect pests. Methomyl is registered for commercial/professional use under certain conditions on sites including field, vegetable, and orchard crops; turf (sod farms only); livestock quarters; commercial premises; and refuse containers. Products containing 1% Methomyl are available to the general public for retail sale, but more potent formulations are classified as restricted-use pesticides: not registered for homeowner or non-professional application. However, Heliothis virescens developed a resistance to methomyl within 5 years. Other species like Helicoverpa assulta also developed resistance after exposure.

Agriltural Insecticides Abstract

Methomyl (CAS 16752-77-5) is a broad-spectrum, systemic, anticholinesterase carbamate insecticide registered for use on a variety of crops and ornamental plants. It is an important tool for eliminating a number of insect pests in a variety of crop and non-crop settings. Although methomyl is an acutely toxic carbamate, there are very few incidents recorded from labeled uses of methomyl, probably due to its low persistence, low potential to bioaccumulate, rapid reversibility, and rapid dissipation from most environmental matrices. Methomyl is not nearly as toxic with subchronic or chronic exposures due to the rapid reversibility of effects, which actually occurs during exposure at low levels such as dietary exposure. Methomyl is not genotoxic and has not demonstrated carcinogenic potential in chronic studies with three species, rat, mouse, or dog. Methomyl is also not a reproductive or developmental toxicant as evidenced by a lack of effects in multigeneration rat studies and developmental studies in the rat and rabbit.