Carbofuran is one of the most toxic carbamate pesticides. It is marketed under the trade names Furadan, by FMC Corporation and Curater, among several others. It is used to control insects in a wide variety of field crops, including potatoes, corn and soybeans. It is a systemic insecticide, which means that the plant absorbs it through the roots, and from here the plant distributes it throughout its organs where insecticidal concentrations are attained. Carbofuran also has contact activity against pests.
Carbofuran usage has increased in recent years because it is one of the few insecticides effective on soybean aphids, which have expanded their range since 2002 to include most soybean-growing regions of the U.S. The main global producer is the FMC Corporation.
| Product Name | carbofuran |
| IUPAC Name | 2,3-dihydro-2,2-dimethylbenzofuran-7-yl methylcarbamate |
| Form | Colourless crystals |
| M.p. | 153-154°C |
| V.p. | 0.031 mPa (20°C) |
| S.g./density | 1.18 (20°C) |
| Solubility | In water 320 (20°C), 351 (25°C) (both in mg/l). |
| Mode of action | Systemic, with predominantly contact and stomach action. |
| Uses | Control of soil-dwelling and foliar-feeding insects (including wireworms, white grubs, millipedes, symphylids, frit flies, bean seed flies, root flies, flea beetles, weevils, sciarid flies, aphids, thrips, etc.) and nematodes in vegetables, ornamentals, beet, maize, sorghum, sunflowers, oilseed rape, potatoes, alfalfa, peanuts, soya beans, sugar cane, rice, cotton, coffee, cucurbits, tobacco, lavender, citrus, vines, strawberries, bananas, mushrooms, and other crops. |
| Formulation types | FS; GR; SC; WP. |
