Growers Tackle Two-spotted Mite Resistance With New Mode Of Action

26 February 2026, AU: Early adopters of a new miticide in orchards throughout Australia have experienced promising results, offering growers a new mode of action to combat two-spotted mite.

Interrupt 240 SC Miticide is the only Group 23 chemical on the market targeting two-spotted mite in pome and stone fruit at every stage in the life cycle. Exciting results have been returned in trials including at one orchard at Cardinia, the gateway to Victoria’s Gippsland region.

Former fruit grower turned agronomist Thom Phillips played a key role in testing Interrupt in a block of apples under pressure from two-spotted mite, taking mite and predatory mite counts before application and 14 and 21 days after application.

“The test site had really good existing levels of predatory mites, but just needed a little bit of extra help in the form of a miticide,” Thom says.

“The two-spotted mite level dropped almost immediately after application, which almost instantly stopped damage to the crop.”

“The healthy numbers of predatory mites across the orchard proved Interrupt works in an IPM friendly program, which is a great tick box for us as agronomists.”

Thom knows all too well the impact the pest has on Australian pome and stone fruit crops.

”If you can’t get your two-spotted mite problem under control you can really see the detrimental effects come harvest,” he says.

“Mites can really get in and take a lot of energy away from the tree, resulting in smaller, poorly coloured fruit, reducing flowering and fruit set for the following year.

“Ultimately, this could be the difference between a profitable block and an unprofitable one for the current year, with potential flow-on effects for the following year’s crop.”

Interrupt 240 SC Miticide effectively controls mites with a translaminar movement through the leaf epidermis, reaching areas not directly exposed to sprayed surfaces. Its ability to target mites at all life stages ensures comprehensive coverage, significantly reducing the risk of re-emergence.

“Some miticides will only kill adults, which means that once you clear them out, the eggs will hatch later and come through,” Thom says.

“Killing the eggs as well is a really useful feature that gives your orchard a complete reset.

“Its residual activity out to 21 days means you also get prolonged activity after the spray to keep suppressing mites for an extended period. That’s really important too.”

Thom says there is a welcome space in the market for Interrupt, given concerns about the overuse of existing miticides and ongoing resistance problems. There is a restriction on spraying over flowering and one application per season, but that fits within a grower’s toolkit for rotating chemistry.

“Where Interrupt finds its place in the industry is that it’s another tool to help growers maintain their pack out, their yield and their profitability for their blocks,” he says.

“New chemistry is critical to a successful harvest. Being the only Group 23 mode of action miticide in pome & stone fruit with a two spotted mite registration, Interrupt is unique.

“It would be great to see Interrupt being used in orchards to break up existing miticide usage. I believe it will easily slot into growers’ rotations. It’s a good fit for the industry and offers a strong solution in the ongoing battle against this pest.”

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