Active Ingredient Chemistry and Systemic Mobility
Actara contains second-generation neonicotinoid chemistry with exceptional acropetal plant translocation.
Key biochemical attributes:
- Active ingredient: Thiamethoxam formulated as 25% water-dispersible granules (WG).
- nAChR receptor binding: Binds to post-synaptic nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, disrupting nervous system impulses and causing rapid paralysis.
- Rapid xylem translocation: Absorbed through foliage and root systems, moving upward through xylem vessels to protect newly expanding leaves.
- Vigor effect: Stimulates plant physiological processes that enhance root development, stem thickness, and stress tolerance.
Registered Crop Applications and Sucking Pest Spectrum
Actara 25% WG is registered under CIBRC guidelines across key food grains, commercial fibers, and horticulture crops.
Major registered crop uses:
- Paddy (Rice): Controls brown planthopper (BPH), white-backed planthopper (WBPH), and green leafhoppers, preventing hopper burn.
- Cotton: Controls aphids, jassids, thrips, and whiteflies, keeping leaves flat and preventing premature square shedding.
- Mango and Citrus: Suppresses mango hoppers and citrus psylla during critical flowering flushes.
- Tomato and Vegetables: Controls whiteflies and thrips, preventing the transmission of destructive viral plant diseases.
Application Guidelines, Soil Drenching and Safety
Actara can be applied as a foliar spray or a root zone soil drench depending on the target crop.
Safe spraying guidelines:
- Label dose compliance: Measure strictly per manufacturer package instructions; dissolves instantly in clean water without leaving tank residue.
- Soil drenching: Applied at nursery transplanting or around tree root zones to provide weeks of systemic protection against early pests.
- Pollinator safety: Avoid spraying during peak honeybee foraging hours in the morning to prevent non-target pollinator toxicity.
- Protective equipment: Wear personal protective equipment including rubber gloves, eye goggles, and a protective mask during spray mixing.
Official source
Check the latest rules, benefits and forms here. KisanPe is an independent platform and is not a government website.
Directorate of Plant Protection, Quarantine & Storage ↗Related on KisanPe
Common questions
What is the active chemical ingredient in Actara insecticide?
Actara contains Thiamethoxam 25% WG, a broad-spectrum systemic second-generation neonicotinoid insecticide.
Which major pests are controlled by Actara in rice farming?
Actara controls brown planthoppers (BPH), white-backed planthoppers, and green leafhoppers, effectively preventing hopper burn in paddy.
Can Actara be applied through soil drenching?
Yes, thiamethoxam is readily absorbed by root systems and translocated upward, making it highly effective for soil drenching in nurseries and orchards.
General guidance, not personal advice. For your farm, ask your local Krishi Vigyan Kendra or agriculture officer.
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