Diafenthiuron 50% WP Insecticide Uses

Diafenthiuron 50% WP is a thiourea insecticide-acaricide registered for use in India under the Insecticides Act, 1968, formulated as a wettable powder (WP) for foliar spraying. It is registered for the control of whiteflies, aphids, thrips and jassids in cotton, diamondback moth in cabbage, mites in chilli and citrus, whitefly in brinjal, thrips and capsule borer in cardamom, and whiteflies, red spider mites and jassids in watermelon, okra and tomato. This page lists its mode of action, key benefits and the recommended dosage as per the Central Insecticides Board & Registration Committee (CIB&RC) official list of approved insecticide uses (Government of India).

Which Problem Is This For? (Symptom Guide)

Not sure whether the damage in your field matches this insecticide's use case? This guide helps match what you see in the field to this insecticide's approved crop-wise uses.

Mode of Action

Diafenthiuron belongs to the thiourea class (IRAC Group 12A). It is a pro-insecticide — in sunlight and inside the insect it is converted into its active carbodiimide form, which inhibits mitochondrial ATP synthase, the enzyme that produces the cell's energy. Without energy the pest becomes sluggish, stops feeding within hours and then dies. It acts by contact and stomach action and has translaminar movement into the leaf, reaching whiteflies, mites and other sucking pests on the underside of the leaves; it is active on nymphs and adults of whiteflies and on mites.

Features & Benefits

• Controls both sucking insects (whiteflies, aphids, jassids, thrips) and mites, as per the CIB-registered uses.
• Translaminar action reaches pests feeding on the underside of leaves.
• Feeding stops quickly after exposure, limiting further damage and virus spread by whiteflies.
• Registered across a wide range of crops — cotton, vegetables, watermelon, cardamom and citrus.
• Its mode of action (IRAC Group 12A) is different from neonicotinoids, organophosphates and pyrethroids, making it a useful rotation partner for resistance management.

Recommended Usage of Diafenthiuron 50% WP Insecticide

The table below gives the recommended dose, water volume and waiting period per acre, converted from the CIB&RC-registered per-hectare rate — see the note below the table for conversion details. Always confirm against the current product label before use.

Figures above are converted from the CIB&RC-registered per-hectare rates (1 ha ≈ 2.47 acres): Cotton 300 g a.i./ha, 600 g formulation/ha, 500–1000 L water/ha, PHI 21 days; Cotton (second registered entry) 239 g a.i./ha, 500 g/ha, 500 L/ha, PHI 30 days; Cabbage, Chilli and Brinjal 300 g a.i./ha, 600 g/ha, 500–750 L/ha, PHI 7, 3 and 3 days respectively; Cardamom 400 g a.i./ha, 800 g/ha, 1000 L/ha, PHI 7 days; Citrus 1.0 g a.i./litre, 2.0 g formulation/litre, PHI 30 days; Watermelon, Okra and Tomato 300 g a.i./ha, 600 g/ha, 500 L/ha, PHI 5 days. *For citrus, 2 g per litre is a fixed mixing concentration — the spray volume depends on tree size and canopy (the CIB&RC water-volume entry for citrus reads "2–3 Liter/ha" and is not converted here). Always confirm the current dose on your specific product's label before use.

How to Use

1. Identify the pest from the symptom guide above and confirm the dose from the table.
2. Make a smooth paste of the measured powder in a small quantity of water first, then add it to the spray tank and top up to the full volume while stirring; keep agitating during spraying.
3. Spray uniformly over the crop with a knapsack or power sprayer, covering both the upper and the underside of leaves, where whiteflies, jassids and mites feed.
4. Spray at the first sign of pest build-up, or at the crop stage advised by your local agricultural extension office.
5. Spray in calm weather in the early morning or late evening, and avoid spraying if rain is expected within a few hours.

Precautions & Safety

• Wear appropriate PPE — mask/respirator, gloves, goggles and full-sleeved clothing — while mixing and spraying, and avoid inhaling the powder or spray mist.
• Follow the recommended dose strictly; do not mix with other pesticides unless specifically recommended.
• Respect the waiting period (PHI) given in the table — 3 days for chilli and brinjal, 5 days for watermelon, okra and tomato, 7 days for cabbage and cardamom, 21 or 30 days for cotton and 30 days for citrus — before harvesting the treated crop.
• Diafenthiuron is toxic to fish and bees; do not let spray wash or field water reach ponds, fish tanks, streams or drinking-water sources, and avoid spraying when bees are actively foraging.
• Store in the original, tightly closed container in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight, food and feed, and out of reach of children and livestock.
• Wash hands, face and any exposed skin thoroughly with soap and water after spraying, and change out of contaminated clothing before eating, drinking or smoking.

Brand names mentioned on this page are registered trademarks of their respective owners and are referenced here for identification purposes only; FarmMate is not affiliated with or endorsed by these brands. This page is for general information only — always consult your local agricultural extension office and confirm the current product label before use.