Lallemand - LALGUARD M52 OD - 1L (34 oz.)

Lallemand LALGUARD M52 OD, Metarhizium Spores in an Oil Dispersion

M52 OD, formerly sold as Met52, is a liquid insecticide whose active ingredient is a living fungus. The label lists 11.0% Metarhizium brunneum strain F52, with at least 2.0 billion CFU per gram of product. Spores carried in an oil dispersion stick to an insect's cuticle, germinate and grow through the exoskeleton. The pest stops feeding and dies, usually 3–7 days after contact. Targets on the label include thrips, whiteflies, spider mites, aphids, psyllids and weevils across greenhouse vegetables, berries, ornamentals and turf. Spores persist longer in potting media than on leaves, which makes the soil drench a real tool against thrips pupating below the canopy. The restricted-entry interval is 4 hours and the pre-harvest interval is 0 days, so crews can treat close to harvest. Lallemand lists it as tolerance exempt, compatible with beneficial insects and carrying no known resistance risk. This bottle holds 1 L (34 fl oz) and is registered under EPA number 64137-33. Biology does the work here, so timing matters more than strength.

Running a Bioinsecticide Program in the Grow Room

Start sprays while pest counts are still low and repeat every 5 to 10 days. Under heavy whitefly pressure, tighten that to every 2 to 5 days. Lallemand's greenhouse rate for foliar work is 20 fl oz per 100 gallons, about 1.2 teaspoons per gallon. Cover upper and lower leaf surfaces, inside and outside the canopy, without running to drip. At that rate this bottle mixes about 169 gallons of spray. Media drenches run at 60 fl oz per 100 gallons, applied at about 8 fl oz of mix per gallon of pot volume. Water it into the top six inches of media but not through the drain holes. Shake the bottle hard, fill the tank halfway, add product under agitation, then top up and keep agitating. Use mixed spray within 24 hours. Never tank-mix it with fungicides, which kill the spores before they reach a single thrips. Spot-test new cultivars first, because the oil carrier can mark sensitive foliage. Store it at or below 68°F for a 12-month life, or at 39°F for 18 months.

Key Features

• Live Metarhizium F52 Spores: Spores infect pests on contact and keep working in potting media long after the spray dries.
• Broad Pest Range: The label covers thrips, whiteflies, spider mites, aphids, psyllids and weevils.
• 4-Hour REI, 0-Day PHI: Short intervals let crews re-enter quickly and treat right up to harvest.
• Foliar, Drench or Dip: One product handles canopy sprays, root-zone drenches and cutting dips.
• IPM-Friendly Profile: Lallemand rates it compatible with beneficial insects and lists no known resistance risk.
• Tolerance Exempt: The active carries an EPA tolerance exemption on treated food crops.

Technical Specifications