Valent U.S.A. Corporation has received Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approval for Clutch 50 WDG Insecticide for foliar application in grapes. The new grape registration is an expansion of the current Clutch label, which includes pears and apples. Clutch is registered in most states, including California.

Since the acquisition of Clutch, Valent has developed an improved formulation of the third generation neonicotinoid for more consistent protection against pests such as leafhopper, vine and grape mealybug, glassy-winged sharpshooter, grapeleaf skeletonizer and pear psylla.

Clutch has a short seven-day pre-harvest interval (PHI), and improved, recyclable packaging.

More registrations are pending, including uses in many vegetables and soil uses in grapes.

“When growers fight pests such as pear psylla or mealybugs in grapes, they need protection they know will work quickly and reliably in-season,” said Len Welch, field market development specialist for Valent.

“Research shows Clutch outperforms other neonicotinoids on tough pests. This registration represents a new active ingredient, clothianidin, for use in grapes.”

Clutch's enhanced consistency is the result of the improved formulation, which provides growers a more uniform particle size of the material for fast uptake in plants. This improved formulation also reinforces Clutch's lower water solubility compared to other neonicotinoids. Clutch is rain-fast within three hours of application.

Clutch should be applied post-bloom (after petal fall in pears when bee hives have been removed) or in-season in grapes. Clutch has local translaminar and systemic movement following a foliar spray. Trial results show translaminar movement within 30 minutes after a Clutch application.