Malathion Technical

Malathion is a non-systemic, wide spectrum organophosphorous (OP) based contact insecticide. It is used in the agricultural production of a wide variety of food/feed crops. It controls insects such as aphids, leafhoppers, Japanese beetles, spider mites, scale insects, housefly & mosquitos as well as large number of other sucking and chewing insects attacking fruits, vegetables, ornamentals & stored products, mosquito control in Public Health Programs. Malathion is formulated as a technical (91-95% ai), a dust (1-10% ai), and emulsifiable concentrate (3-82% ai), a ready-to-use (1.5-95% ai), a pressurized liquid (0.5-3% ai), and a wettable powder (6-50% ai) Several of the 95% liquids are intended for ultra-low-volume (ULV) applications. Malathion can be applied using ground or aerial equipment, thermal and non-thermal forger, ground boom, airblast sprayer, chemigation, and a variety of hand-held equipment such as backpack sprayers, low-pressure handwands, hose-end sprayers and power dusters. Multiple foliar application may be made, as needed depending in pest presence. Malathion is an OP insecticide, and like all members of this class, the mode of toxic action is the inhibition of cholinesterase (ChE). The selective toxicity of Malathion has been well documented. Malathion is metabolically converted to its structurally similar metabolite, malaoxon (oxidation of the P=S moiety to P=O), in insects and mammals. Mammalian systems show greater carboxyesterase activity, as compared with insects, so that the toxic agent malaoxon builds up more in insects that it mammals. This accounts for the selective toxicity of Malathion towards insects.