Modern management strategies for Colorado Potato Beetle (CPB) – The role of vayego insecticide in resistance stewardship
June 3, 2025
The Colorado potato beetle (CPB), Leptinotarsa decemlineata, continues to be the most destructive insect pest affecting potato crops worldwide. Known for its voracious feeding habits and high reproductive potential, CPB can quickly devastate entire fields if not properly managed. Compounding this threat is the pest’s remarkable ability to develop resistance to chemical controls, making long-term management a challenge and underscoring the need for integrated, science-driven solutions.
Historically, neonicotinoid insecticides – particularly as seed-piece treatments – have served as the cornerstone of early-season CPB control. These systemic insecticides, classified under IRAC Group 4A, initially provided up to 90 days of crop protection. However, evidence now shows that in several potato-growing regions, the effective residual window has declined to as little as 50-60 days due to rising resistance levels.
CPB develop resistance to insecticides due to their fast metabolism, which means chemicals have less time to work on the CPB before it is out of its system. As well, adult CPB have a hard cuticle, so products that work based on contact alone may be less effective. Most new products target early instars.
“CPB are starting to have a prolonged overwintering period, and they emerge when the amount of insecticide left in the host plants from the usual early season applications is lower and below the lethal limit,” says Justin Dalebozik, fruit and vegetables agronomist with Bayer. “This is bad because one, this doesn’t kill the emerging CPB, and two, there is a lot of sublethal exposure that can push resistance to be even higher.”
Reduced efficacy highlights a critical issue in CPB management: over-reliance on a single mode of action (MOA) accelerates the development of resistant populations. To counteract this, the adoption of integrated pest management (IPM) practices, especially chemical rotation strategies, has become essential.
IPM emphasizes the coordinated use of biological, cultural, physical and chemical tools to suppress pest populations below economic thresholds. When dealing with CPB, chemical rotation remains one of the most impactful components of IPM. In practice, this means alternating insecticides from different MOA groups to avoid resistance build-up.
Currently, in addition to Group 4A neonicotinoids, growers have access to:
Group 5 (spinosyns) – e.g., spinosad and spinetoram, which offer good knockdown and residual activity
Group 28 (diamides) – These include both first- and second-generation diamides, offering longer residual control and broad-spectrum efficacy
“In addition to chemical controls, cultural controls like crop rotation can be effective, rotating the active class of insecticides to prolong the useful life of chemicals is also important,” says Dalebozik.
vayego: a new tool in the arsenal
Bayer’s introduction of vayego®, a second-generation diamide insecticide containing tetraniliprole, represents a significant advancement in CPB control. Classified under IRAC Group 28, vayego offers:
Extended residual activity equal to or exceeding that of other foliar insecticides
- Effective control of CPB across all life stages – from eggs and early instars through to adults
- Broad-spectrum utility, also targeting pests such as potato flea beetle and European corn borer
“Tetraniliprole is classed as a ryanodine receptor moderator – this means vayego impairs muscle regulation, resulting in paralysis and death of insects,” says Sherri Tedford, customer solutions agronomist with Bayer. “vayego works mainly through ingestion and is locally systemic. It has antifeedant properties which provide quick knockdown of both larvae and adult CPB with long-lasting activity. vayego also has great residual activity which provides a wider window of control versus other products in the marketplace. This allows for more flexibility on application timing.”
Gaia Consulting in Manitoba has conducted several trials of vayego on potato, and the product performed “very well” over the years.
“Reduced efficacy has been seen in a few fields with populations with reduced sensitivity to Group 28 insecticides in recent years,” says Darin Gibson, president of Gaia Consulting. “This is why it is important for growers to know their populations in their fields, and to not spray an insecticide group that the population may have been exposed to in a previous application.”
Gibson adds that vayego is “an excellent product to use on neonicotinoid (Group 4A) or spinosyn (Group 5) resistant CPB populations, if Group 28 (diamide) resistance isn’t a problem in the field to be sprayed. This can be confirmed with a dip-test.”
For control of CPB, a practical application strategy involves using a neonicotinoid seed-piece treatment early in the season to establish protection, followed by a vayego foliar application once neonic efficacy begins to wane. Typically, this window opens about 50-60 days after planting, aligning with increased CPB activity in many regions. vayego can provide a minimum of two weeks of robust control at this critical juncture.
Although vayego is labeled for two foliar applications per season, a single application is often sufficient due to its extended efficacy. If a second application is necessary, it is strongly recommended not to repeat a Group 28 treatment but instead rotate to a Group 5 product. This rotation not only aligns with IPM principles but is also essential to preserving the long-term effectiveness of all available chemistries.
Key recommendations for growers include:
- Start the season with a Group 4A neonicotinoid seed-piece treatment
- Apply vayego when CPB populations increase post-neonic window
- If needed, rotate to a Group 5 (spinosyn) product for a second foliar spray
- Always monitor pest populations and adhere to economic thresholds before spraying
Effective management of the Colorado potato beetle demands a multifaceted strategy centered around IPM and chemical stewardship. vayego, with its second-generation diamide chemistry, provides an essential new tool for controlling resistant CPB populations. However, its success depends on proper integration into a broader rotation-based strategy that includes careful timing, threshold-based decisions, and MOA diversification. By following these principles, growers can achieve sustainable CPB control and preserve the efficacy of vital insecticides for future seasons.
ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW PESTICIDE LABEL DIRECTIONS. Bayer, Bayer Cross and vayego® are registered trademarks of Bayer Group. Used under license. Bayer CropScience Inc. is a member of CropLife Canada. ©2025 Bayer Group. All rights reserved.
