The IRAC Mode of Action Classification of Insecticides
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- Alanycarb
- Aldicarb
- Bendiocarb
- Benfuracarb
- Butocarboxim
- Butoxycarboxim
- Carbaryl
- Carbofuran
- Carbosulfan
- Ethiofencarb
- Fenobucarb
- Formetanate
- Furathiocarb
- Isoprocarb
- Methiocarb
- Methomyl
- Metolcarb
- Oxamyl
- Pirimicarb
- Propoxur
- Thiodicarb
- Thiofanox
- Triazamate
- Trimethacarb
- XMC
- Xylylcarb
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- Acephate
- Azamethiphos
- Azinphos-ethyl
- Azinphos-methyl
- Cadusafos
- Chlorethoxyfos
- Chlorfenvinphos
- Chlormephos
- Chlorpyrifos
- Chlorpyrifos-methyl
- Coumaphos
- Cyanophos
- Demeton-S-methyl
- Diazinon
- Dichlorvos/ DDVP
- Dicrotophos
- Dimethoate
- Dimethylvinphos
- Disulfoton
- EPN
- Ethion
- Ethoprophos
- Famphur
- Fenamiphos
- Fenitrothion
- Fenthion
- Fosthiazate
- Heptenophos
- Isofenphos
- Isoxathion
- Malathion
- Mecarbam
- Methamidophos
- Methidathion
- Mevinphos
- Monocrotophos
- Naled
- Omethoate
- Oxydemeton-methyl
- Parathion
- Parathion-methyl
- Phenthoate
- Phosalone
- Phorate
- Phosmet
- Phosphamidon
- Phoxim
- Profenofos
- Propetamphos
- Prothiofos
- Pyraclofos
- Pyridaphenthion
- Quinalphos
- Sulfotep
- Tebupirimfos
- Temephos
- Terbufos
- Tetrachlorvinphos
- Thiometon
- Triazophos
- Trichlorfon
- Vamidothion
- Pirimiphos-methyl
- Imicyafos
- Isopropyl O-(methoxyaminothio-phosphoryl) salicylate
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- Chlordane
- Endosulfan
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- Ethiprole
- Fipronil
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- Acrinathrin
- Allethrin
- d-cis-trans Allethrin
- d-trans Allethrin
- Bifenthrin
- Bioallethrin
- Bioallethrin S-cyclopentenyl
- Bioresmethrin
- Cycloprothrin
- Cyfluthrin
- beta-Cyfluthrin
- Cyhalothrin
- lambda-Cyhalothrin
- gamma-Cyhalothrin
- Cypermethrin
- alpha-Cypermethrin
- beta-Cypermethrin
- theta-Cypermethrin
- zeta-Cypermethrin
- Cyphenothrin [(1R)-trans- isomers]
- Deltamethrin
- Empenthrin [(EZ)- (1R)- isomers]
- Esfenvalerate
- Etofenprox
- Fenpropathrin
- Fenvalerate
- Flucythrinate
- Flumethrin
- tau-Fluvalinate
- Kadethrin
- Pyrethrins (pyrethrum)
- Halfenprox
- Phenothrin [(1R)-trans- isomer]
- Prallethrin
- Resmethrin
- Silafluofen
- Tefluthrin
- Tetramethrin
- Tetramethrin [(1R)- isomers]
- Tralomethrin
- Transfluthrin
- Permethrin
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- DDT
- Methoxychlor
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- Acetamiprid
- Clothianidin
- Dinotefuran
- Imidacloprid
- Nitenpyram
- Thiacloprid
- Thiamethoxam
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- Nicotine
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- Sulfoxaflor
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- Flupyradifurone
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- Triflumezopyrim
- Dicloromezotiaz
- Fenmezoditiaz
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- Flupyrimin
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- Spinetoram
- Spinosad
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- Abamectin
- Emamectin benzoate
- Lepimectin
- Milbemectin
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- Hydroprene
- Kinoprene
- Methoprene
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- Fenoxycarb
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- Pyriproxyfen
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- Methyl bromide and other alkyl halides
- 1,3-dichloropropene
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- Chloropicrin
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- Cryolite
- Sulfuryl fluoride
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- Borax
- Boric acid
- Disodium octaborate
- Sodium borate
- Sodium metaborate
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- Tartar emetic
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- Dazomet
- Metam
- Methyl isothiocyanate
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- Pymetrozine
- Pyrifluquinazon
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- Afidopyropen
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- Clofentezine
- Diflovidazin
- Hexythiazox
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- Etoxazole
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- B.t. var. israelensis
- B.t. var. aizawai
- B.t. var. kurstaki
- B.t. var. tenebrionensis
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- Bacillus sphaericus
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- Diafenthiuron
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- Azocyclotin
- Cyhexatin
- Fenbutatin oxide
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- Propargite
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- Tetradifon
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- Chlorfenapyr
- DNOC
- Sulfluramid
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- Bensultap
- Cartap hydrochloride
- Thiocyclam
- Thiosultap-sodium
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- Bistrifluron
- Chlorfluazuron
- Diflubenzuron
- Flucycloxuron
- Flufenoxuron
- Hexaflumuron
- Lufenuron
- Novaluron
- Noviflumuron
- Teflubenzuron
- Triflumuron
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- Buprofezin
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- Cyromazine
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- Chromafenozide
- Halofenozide
- Methoxyfenozide
- Tebufenozide
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- Amitraz
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- Hydramethylnon
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- Acequinocyl
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- Fluacrypyrim
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- Bifenazate
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- Fenazaquin
- Fenpyroximate
- Pyrimidifen
- Pyridaben
- Tebufenpyrad
- Tolfenpyrad
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- Rotenone
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- Indoxacarb
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- Metaflumizone
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- Spirodiclofen
- Spiromesifen
- Spiropidion
- Spirotetramat
- Spidoxamat
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- Aluminium phosphide
- Calcium phosphide
- Phosphine
- Zinc phosphide
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- Calcium cyanide
- Potassium cyanide
- Sodium cyanide
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- Cyenopyrafen
- Cyflumetofen
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- Pyflubumide
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- Chlorantraniliprole
- Cyantraniliprole
- Cyclaniliprole
- Flubendiamide
- Tetraniliprole
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- Flonicamid
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- Broflanilide
- Cyproflanilide
- Fluxametamide
- Isocycloseram
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- Cydia pomonella GV
- Thaumatotibia leucotreta GV
- Anticarsia gemmatalis MNPV
- Helicoverpa armigera NPV
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- GS-omega/kappa HXTX-Hv1a peptide
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- Acynonapyr
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- Flometoquin
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- Ledprona
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- Dimpropyridaz
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- Oxazosulfyl
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- Azadirachtin
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- Benzoximate
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- Benzpyrimoxan
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- Bromopropylate
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- Chinomethionat
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- Dicofol
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- Lime Sulfur
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- Mancozeb
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- Pyridalyl
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- Sulfur
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- Burkholderia spp
- Wolbachie pipientis (Zap)
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- Chenopodium ambrosioides near ambrosioides extract
- Clitoria ternatea extract
- Fatty acid monoesters with glycerol or propanediol
- Neem oil
- Nonanoic acid
- Sabadilla Extract
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- Beauveria bassiana strains
- Metarhizium brunneum strain F52
- Paecilomyces fumosoroseus Apopka strain 97
- Akanthomyces muscarius Ve6
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- Diatomaceous earth
- Mineral Oil
- Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)
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Insecticides classification key
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Nerve & Muscle
Most current insecticides act on nerve and muscle targets. Insecticides that act on these targets are generally fast acting.
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Growth
Insect development is controlled by juvenile hormone and ecdysone, by directly perturbing cuticle formation/deposition or lipid biosynthesis. Such insect growth regulators are generally slow to moderately slow acting.
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Respiration
Several insecticides are known to interfere with mitochondrial respiration by the inhibition of electron transport and/or oxidative phosphorylation. Such insecticides are generally fast to moderately fast acting.
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Midgut
Lepidopteran-specific microbial toxins that are sprayed or expressed in transgenic crop varieties.
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Protein suppressors
Multiple biological processes govern the accumulation of proteins critical to supporting a wide variety of functions within insects. Protein suppressors act through reduction of specific protein levels in the pest species. Insecticides that act in this manner are generally moderately slow acting.
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Unknown or non-specific MoA
Several insecticides are known to affect less well-described target-sites or functions, or to act non-specifically on multiple targets.
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Nerve & Muscle
These nematicides may affect the central nervous system of nematodes by inhibiting acetylcholinesterase activity, or glutamate-gated chloride channels that are found in nerve and muscle cells.
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Growth & Development
These nematicides act as lipid biosynthesis inhibitors that reduce lipid content, slowing down nematode development, impacting moulting and reducing fecundity.
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Respiration
These nematicides interfere with mitochondrial respiration by the inhibition of electron transport and/or oxidative phosphorylation. Such nematicides are generally fast acting.
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Unknown or Non-Specific
These nematicides affect less well-described target-sites or functions, or may act non-specifically on multiple targets.
Effective IRM strategies: Sequences or alternations of MoA
Effective insecticide resistance management (IRM) strategies seek to minimise the selection of resistance to any one type of insecticide. In practice, alternations, sequences or rotations of compounds from different MoA groups provide sustainable and effective IRM. Applications are often arranged into MoA spray windows or blocks that are defined by the stage of crop development and the biology of the lepidopteran species of concern. Local expert advice should always be followed with regard to spray windows and timing. Several sprays may be possible within each spray window, but it is generally essential that successive generations of the pest are not treated with compounds from the same MoA group. Metabolic resistance mechanisms may give cross-resistance between MoA groups; where this is known to occur, the above advice should be modified accordingly.

Mode of action literature
IRAC: Mode of action classification and insecticide resistance management
Pesticide Biochemistry and Physiology
IRM and Industry: the origins and evolution of IRAC and the mode of action classification scheme.
Wiley Online Library
Pesticide Biochemistry and Physiology
Guidance on good labelling practice for pesticides (second revision)
FAO and WHO 2022
Guidance on good labelling practice for pesticides (second revision)
FAO and WHO 2022




