Pangaea Booster™

Introducing Pangaea Booster™

Introducing Pangaea Booster™, a tried-and-tested adjuvant designed to improve the efficacy of a wide range of plant protection products (PPPs), including insecticides. Pangaea Booster™ is an adjuvant containing Piperonyl Butoxide 87.5% w/w which can be used in combination with insecticides, fungicides, and herbicides to overcome resistance in pests. 

Insecticide resistance is a challenge for growers, impacting yields and increasing costs. Pangaea Booster™ gives growers a practical, effective solution to combat pest resistance. It integrates seamlessly with current practices and helps to protect the long-term performance of existing PPP programmes.

How it works

Pangaea Booster™ temporarily disables the metabolic resistance mechanism (cytochrome P450) in insects. This leaves pests hypersensitive, making them more vulnerable to insecticides.

If insecticide resistance is undermining your current pest protocols, Pangaea Booster™ can restore their effectiveness, quickly and reliably.

Key benefits

• Improves control of pests, such as thrips, whitefly, aphids, flea beetle, diamond back moth, and spider mites.
• Compatible with a wide range of PPPs, including insecticides, fungicides, and herbicides
• Backed by trials across multiple crops and geographies

Why Resistance Develops

Resistance occurs primarily due to natural selection. Within any population of insects, weeds, or pathogens, some individuals may possess genetic traits that make them less susceptible to a particular pesticide. When a pesticide is applied, the susceptible individuals die, while those with resistance traits survive and reproduce. Over successive generations, the proportion of resistant individuals increases, making the pesticide less effective. Several factors contribute to the development of resistance.

1. Frequent and Repeated Use: Continuous application of the same pesticide selects for resistant individuals. 
2. High Reproductive Rate: Fast-breeding organisms, such as insects and fungi, develop resistance more quickly. 
3. Genetic Variation: The natural diversity in populations increases the likelihood of resistance traits emerging.
4. Inadequate Dosage: Using lower-than-recommended pesticide doses allows partially resistant individuals to survive and reproduce.
5. Lack of Rotational Strategies - Relying on a single pesticide without alternating chemical classes accelerates resistance development.

How Metabolic Pathways Cause Resistance

Metabolic resistance is one of the most common mechanisms by which insects, weeds, and pathogens develop resistance to pesticides. It occurs when an organism's metabolic system breaks down or detoxifies a pesticide before it can exert its lethal effect. 

Cytochrome P450 Monooxygenases (P450s)

These enzymes modify pesticide molecules by adding oxygen, making them more water-soluble and easier to excrete. Many insect species, for example, overproduce P450 enzymes, allowing them to rapidly detoxify pesticides by utilising the P450 enzymes. 

How Piperonyl Butoxide (PBO) Helps Combat Resistance 

Piperonyl butoxide (PBO) is a synergist, meaning it is not toxic on its own but enhances the effectiveness of insecticides, fungicides, and herbicides on certain pest species showing resistance. It works by inhibiting metabolic resistance mechanisms in two key ways: 

1. Inhibition of Cytochrome P450 Enzymes: PBO blocks the activity of P450 enzymes, preventing the breakdown of insecticides in resistant pests. This ensures that the insecticide remains active long enough to kill the pest population effectively.
2. Reduction of Detoxification Capacity: By suppressing metabolic pathways, PBO allows lower doses of insecticide to remain potent, reducing the need for higher application rates and slowing resistance development.
   
   

However, PBO's effectiveness varies, depending on whether P450s are the primary cause of resistance. If resistance involves other mechanisms (e.g. target site mutations in nicotinic acetylcholine receptors or efflux pumps), PBO may not be effective.

Application Rates

SPRAY WATER VOLUME PER HECTARE (LITRES)	QUANTITY OF PANGAEA BOOSTER™ PER HECTARE (mL)*	QUANTITY OF PANGAEA BOOSTER™ PER 100 LITRES (mL)*
100	200	200
500	300	60
1000	300	30
2000	300	15

Users should refer to the statutory conditions of use of the plant protection product for maximum number of treatments and latest time of application.

European Field Trials

What the trials showed

Recent field trials in Poland and the Czech Republic evaluated Pangaea Booster™ in tank mixes targeting resistant insect populations, including:

• Pollen beetle
• Diamond back moth
• Colorado potato beetle
• Cabbage seed weevil
• Cabbage stem flea beetle

Trial parameters

• Standard commercial insecticide rates
• 200L water/ha
• 3 replications per treatment
• 24-hour post-application evaluation

Results

• Enhanced efficacy across all tested insecticides
• Consistent results against both primary and secondary pests
• Pangaea Booster™ improved mortality rates when added to deltamethrin, lambda-cyhalothrin, and tau-fluvalinate

Pangaea Booster™ gives growers a practical, effective solution to combat pest resistance. It integrates seamlessly with current practices and helps to protect the long-term performance of existing PPP programmes.

Resistance Trials 

Common UK pests with known resistance in the P450 enzyme: Aphids spp., cabbage root fly, tobacco/glasshouse whitefly, spider mites, thrips spp., flea beetle, diamondback moth. 

PBO and beneficials

Piperonyl Butoxide (PBO) alone is not an insecticide and does not have direct toxic effects on insects, including biological controls. However, it could still pose indirect risks to beneficial organisms in protected growing environments if the beneficials rely on the P450 enzymes themselves. PBO also has the potential to alter insect behaviour, such as reducing activity levels, feeding efficiency, or reproduction, though evidence is limited.

To minimise any negative effect on beneficials, care should be taken on product selection. A reintroduction period should be observed depending on the product being used.  

Persistance

Under most conditions, PBO residues last 1-2 days on plant surfaces but can persist up to 7-14 days in protected environments. 

Approvals

Crop	Pesticides	Maximum Concentration	Maximum no. of treatments	Latest time of application
All Non Edible Crops	All authorised plant protection products	0.20%	Follow the statutory conditions of use of the plant protection product	Follow the statutory conditions of use of the plant protection product
All Edible Crops	All authorised plant protection products at half or less than half the authorised plant protection product rate	0.20%	Follow the statutory conditions of use of the plant protection product	Follow the statutory conditions of use of the plant protection product
Non Crop Production, All Non Edible Crops (Stubble), All Edible Crops (Stubble)	All authorised plant protection products	0.20%	Follow the statutory conditions of use of the plant protection product	Follow the statutory conditions of use of the plant protection product

In addition, this adjuvant may be used at a maximum concentration of 0.20000002980232% spray solution on the following crops, up to the growth stages specified, with all approved pesticides applied up to their full approved rate:

Crop	Latest time of Application
Almond	up to and including first fruit set
Apple and pear	up to and including fruit 5 - 10 mm
Apricot, cherry, peach and nectarine, plum	up to and including first fruit set
Table Grapes, Wine Grapes	up to and including first fruit set
Strawberry	up to and including first fruit development
Blackberry	up to and including first fruit development
Raspberry	up to and including first fruit set
Blackcurrant and redcurrant	up to and including first visible green fruitlet
Potato	up to and including tuber initiation
Carrot, Parsnip, Turnip, Swede	up to and including 9 true leaves unfolded
Red beet	up to and including six fully expanded leaves. Does not include beetroot grown for salad leaf use
Garlic, Bulb Onion, Shallot, salad onion	up to and including 9 leaves clearly visible
Aubergine, Cucumber, Melon, Pepper and Chilli, Winter Squash and Pumpkin	up to and including first fruit set
Tomato	up to and including first fruit set on first truss
Sweetcorn	up to and including tip of tassel visible
Broccoli / calabrese	up to and including heads begin to form; width of growing tip > 1 cm2
Cauliflower	up to and including cauliflower heads begin to form; width of growing tip up to 1 cm2
Brussels sprout	up to and including lateral buds begin to develop
Cabbage	up to and including heads begin to form
Oriental cabbages	varieties forming heads: up to and including heads begin to form
Oriental cabbages	varieties not forming heads: up to and including leaf rosette has reached 30% of the diameter typical for the variety
Collard, kale	main shoot has reached 30% of the expected height typical for the variety
Lettuce	varieties forming heads: up to and including heads begin to form
Lettuce	varieties not forming heads: up to and including leaf rosette has reached 30% of the diameter typical for the variety
Rocket	up to and including 3rd true leaf unfolded
Spinach	leaf rosette has reached 30% of the expected diameter typical for the variety
Broad bean (fresh), Dwarf French bean, Runner beans, Edible podded pea	up to and including first pod set
Vining pea	up to and including flat pod (non-edible pods only)
Leek	up to and including 9 leaves clearly visible
Field bean	up to and including first pod set
Soya bean - (dry)	end of flowering: first pods visible (approx 5mm length) - BBCH 69-609
Combining pea	up to and including flat pod (non-edible pods only)
Linseed	up to and including 10% capsules formed
Oilseed rape	up to and including 10% potential pods
Borage	beginning of ripening: seed green
Soya bean	end of flowering: first pods visible (approx 5mm length) - BBCH 69-609
Cereals	up to and including GS52 (1/4 inflorescence)
Hops	up to and including cone set
Sugar beet	up to and including 6 fully expanded leaves
Forage Maize	up to and including tip of tassel visible
Fodder beet, Mangel	up to and including 6 fully expanded leaves
Beans without pods (dry)	Up to and including first pod set
Beans without pods (fresh)	Up to and including first pod set