The velvetbean caterpillar, Anticarsia gemmatalis Hübner (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), is an important soybean pest in Brazil. This study aimed to evaluate growth regulators insecticides. A precision sprayer equipped with 110 02 nozzles, working at a constant pressure of 1 bar and volume of 100 liters per hectare was used to apply the insecticide treatments (diflubenzuron at 15g a.i. per hectare, lufenuron at 7.5 g a.i. per hectare, metoxyfenozide at 21.6g a.i. per hectare and teflubenzuron at 7.5g a.i. per hectare). Applications when plants were 0.90m height, in the R3.1 growth stage, and the number of small larvae was 95, while that of large larvae was 33 per two meters of row. The number of live larvae at 0, 2, 4, 7 and 10 days after application, the defoliation at 15 days after application and grain yield were evaluated. The fastest control of large and small larvae was obtained with metoxyfenozide at 2 days after application. The insecticides diflubenzuron, lufenuron and teflubenzuron efficiently controlled of large and small larvae, but only at 4 days after application. Larval infestations in non-treated plots resulted in significant defoliation and yield losses when compared to plots treated with insecticides.
insecta; Glycine max L.; insecticide; chemical control
