Spear® LEP is Vestaron’s revolutionary bioinsecticide for pome and stone fruit, tree nuts, vegetables and other high-value field and orchard crops. Targeting lepidopteran pests such as loopers, worms and caterpillars, field trials with Spear LEP show performance that is equal or superior to conventional insecticides. With no known resistance or cross-resistance, Spear LEP works as a standalone, or in rotation with conventional insecticides as an excellent IPM and resistance management tool.
POME FRUIT AND OTHER
Almond
Apple
Blueberry
Cherry
Grapes
Hazelnut
Hops
Pear
Potato
Stone Fruit
Strawberry
Tomato
Vegetables
key facts
(must read and follow all label instructions)
- Insecticide based on a naturally occurring peptide
- Highly specific for lepidopteran larvae with very low risk to beneficials
- Control equivalent to synthetic options
- Vital new tool for sustainable pest management
- New IRAC Group 32 supporting resistance management
- Mode of Entry: Ingestion
- Mode of Action: Disruption of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor
- Spear LEP is effective when tank-mixed with a gut disrupting facilitator such as Bacillus thuringiensis (Btk) (we recommend Leprotec®)
- Excellent environmental and worker safety profile
- 0-Day PHI, 4-Hour REI, & MRL Exempt
- Low risk of phytotoxicity
quick info
| EPA REG # | 88847-6 |
| AI | GS-OMEGA/KAPPA-HXTX-HV1A |
| FORMULATION | LIQUID |
| IRAC GROUP | 32 |
| SIGNAL WORD | CAUTION |
| REI | 4 HOURS |
| PHI | 0 DAYS |
| PACKAGE SIZE | 1 GAL, 4X1 GAL CASE |
| USE RATE | 1-2 PT/ACRE PLUS Bt |
| RAINFAST | 4 HOURS |
| SURFACTANT | For best performance, use with a NIS or spreader/sticker at 0.125% v/v |
A SOLUTION BY VESTARON
Vestaron is a company dedicated to improving the safety, efficacy and sustainability of crop protection through migration from synthetic pesticides to peptide-based biopesticides. Vestaron is initially focused on a class of peptides that kills insects, but is safe for humans, beneficial insects and the environment. As part of this focus, the company has developed a proprietary platform for peptide optimization and fermentation-based peptide production that will allow the development of a wide variety of biological crop protection solutions. Vestaron has earned global recognition for its work, including the inaugural 2015 Bernard Blum Award for novel biocontrol solutions, a ranking in the 2020 THRIVE Top 50 list of AGTECH Growth Stage Companies, and the prestigious Green Chemistry Challenge Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the American Chemical Society Green Chemistry Institute in 2020.
RESULTS
Spear LEP/Leprotec was highly effective at controlling internal damage caused by Codling Moth and Oriental Fruit Moth in apples.
SURVIVAL OF FIRST INSTAR LARVAE IN LEAF DISC ASSAY
RESEARCHER
- Michigan State University (Dr. Larry Gut), 2017
DESIGN
- Leaf disc bioassay
- 10-18 replications
- 10 first instars per replication
TREATMENTS
- Untreated check: water only
- Spear LEP: Spear LEP (4.76 mL) and Leprotec (Bt ssp. kurstaki, 3.75 mL) in 1 L water
- Conventional: Delegate 25WG (spinetoram, 1.09 mL) in 1 L water
APPLICATIONS
- Single exposure leaf dip into treatment solutions
- Larval survival assessed at 48 hr
RESULTS SUMMARY
- Spear LEP/Leprotec is active against four of the major lepidopteran pests of apples
- Within 48 hr, 46-72% of larvae were killed after feeding on leaves dipped into Spear LEP/Leprotec spray solution, compared to 89-100% for the conventional standard
- Mortality from the conventional standard was numerically higher than Spear LEP/Leprotec for all four species, but not statistically different for Codling Moth and Oblique-banded Leafroller
INTERNAL DAMAGE FROM CODLING MOTH AND ORIENTAL FRUIT MOTH
RESEARCHER
- LAB Services (James Steffel), PA, 2019
DESIGN
- Outdoor orchard trial
- RCBD, 4 replications
- Single-tree plots with unsprayed border trees
TREATMENTS
- Untreated check: water only
- Spear LEP at low and high label rates, each with a matching volume of Leprotec (Bt ssp. kurstaki)
- Spear LEP rotation: Spear LEP/Leprotec (2/1 pt/A) rotated with Altacor (chlorantraniliprole, 3.5 oz wt/A)
- Conventional rotation: Assail (acetamiprid, 8 oz wt/A) rotated with Altacor(chlorantraniliprole) (4.0 oz wt/A)
- All treatments included NIS (Induce and LI-700)
APPLICATIONS
- May 7, 22; Jun 5, 22; Jul 5, 19; Aug 2, 16
- Insects rated mid-season (Jul 25) and end-season (Sep 6)
RESULTS SUMMARY
- Spear LEP/Leprotec was highly effective at controlling internal damage caused by Codling Moth and Oriental Fruit Moth in apples
- Protection from fruit entries was equivalent to the conventional rotation
- With respect to fruit entries, Spear LEP can replace Assail in a season-long rotation program for Codling Moth and Oriental Fruit Moth
- Spear LEP brings a new IRAC group to your resistance management program, and it has the versatility and efficacy to fit your rotation
- - For both rates of Spear LEP/Leprotec used as season long standalone
- - When Spear LEP/Leprotec replaced Assail (acetamiprid) in the rotation
RESOURCES
FIND A REP
Recognitions
Vestaron has earned global recognition for its work, including the inaugural 2015 Bernard Blum Award for novel biocontrol solutions, the prestigious Green Chemistry Challenge Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the American Chemical Society Green Chemistry Institute in 2020, as well as Best New Biologic Product in the 2021 Crop Science Awards. The company also received a Thrive Top 50 AgTech | FoodTech Award and a George Washington Carver Award in 2022.
