The Insecticide Resistance Action Committee (IRAC) was formed in 1984 and works as a specialist technical group of the industry association CropLife to be able to provide a coordinated industry response to prevent or delay the development of insecticide resistance in insect, mite and nematode pests. IRAC strives to facilitate communication and education on insecticide and traits resistance as well as to promote the development and facilitate the implementation of insecticide resistance management strategies.

IRAC is recognised by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) of the United Nations as an advisory body on matters pertaining to insecticide resistance.

Pesticideresistance.org is a database financed by IRAC, US Department of Agriculture, and others.

Sponsors IRAC's sponsors are: ADAMA, BASF, Bayer CropScience, Corteva, FMC, Mitsui Chemicals, Sumitomo Chemical, Syngenta and UPL.

Mode of action classification IRAC publishes an insecticide mode of action (MoA) classification that lists most common insecticides and acaricides and recommends that "successive generations of a pest should not be treated with compounds from the same MoA Group". IRAC assigns a mode of action (MoA) to an insecticide, based on sufficient scientific data. They then update the mode of action (MoA) classification. Several insecticides and classes of insecticide may act through the same mode of action.

Classes of insecticide If an insecticide is successful, follow-on insecticides, based on the chemical structure of the first in class (prototype) insecticide, may be developed either by the original company or by competitors. Sought after are insecticides which have improved properties or which kill different orders or species of insect. The resulting classes of insecticides are named by IRAC after common usage has been established, although alternative names may be found in the scientific literature.

Table of modes of action and classes of insecticide In the table the number of insecticides listed in each class is given, and an example of each class. The number of insecticides in the IRAC class listing is given in column Nr (A). The number in the Compendium of Pesticide Common Names (insecticide + acaricide) is given in column Nr (B), although the name given there to the class historically is often different to the IRAC class name. IRACcode Mode of action ClassNr (A)Nr (B) Example 1 A Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors Carbamates2652 Carbofuran1 B Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors Organophosphates66171 Chlorpyrifos 2 A GABA-gated chloride channel blockers Cyclodiene organochlorines217 Endosulfan2 B GABA-gated chloride channel blockers Phenylpyrazoles (Fiproles) 27 Fipronil 3 A Sodium channel modulators Pyrethroids, Pyrethrins4384 Permethrin3 B Sodium channel modulators DDT, Methoxychlor220 DDT 4 A Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) competitive modulators Neonicotinoids711 Imidacloprid4 B Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) competitive modulators Nicotine11 Nicotine4 C Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) competitive modulators Sulfoximines 11 Sulfoxaflor4 D Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) competitive modulators Butenolides 11 Flupyradifurone4 E Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) competitive modulators Mesoionics 33 Triflumezopyrim4 F Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) competitive modulators Pyridylidenes 11 Flupyrimin 5 Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) allosteric modulators - Site I Spinosyns 22 Spinosad 6 Glutamate-gated chloride channel (GluCl) allosteric modulators Avermectins, Milbemycins 410 Abamectin 7 A Juvenile hormone receptor modulators Juvenile hormone analogues37 Methoprene7 BJuvenile hormone receptor modulatorsFenoxycarb11Fenoxycarb7 CJuvenile hormone receptor modulatorsPyriproxyfen11Pyriproxyfen8 AMiscellaneous non-specific (multi-site) inhibitorsAlkyl halides> 3101,3-dichloropropene8 BMiscellaneous non-specific (multi-site) inhibitorsChloropicrin11Chloropicrin8 CMiscellaneous non-specific (multi-site) inhibitorsFluorides25Sulfuryl fluoride8 DMiscellaneous non-specific (multi-site) inhibitorsBorates52Boric acid8 EMiscellaneous non-specific (multi-site) inhibitorsTartar emetic10Tartar emetic8 FMiscellaneous non-specific (multi-site) inhibitorsMethyl isothiocyanate generators32Dazomet9 BChordotonal organ TRPV channel modulatorspyridine azomethine derivatives22Pymetrozine9 DChordotonal organ TRPV channel modulatorsPyropenes11Afidopyropen10 AMite growth inhibitors affecting CHS1Clofentezine, Diflovidazin, Hexythiazox35Clofentezine10 BMite growth inhibitors affecting CHS1Etoxazole11Etoxazole11 AMicrobial disruptors of insect midgut membranesBacillus thuringiensis and the insecticidal proteins they produce4n.a.n.a.11 BMicrobial disruptors of insect midgut membranesBacillus sphaericus1n.a.n.a.12 AInhibitors of mitochondrial ATP synthaseDiafenthiuron11Diafenthiuron12 BInhibitors of mitochondrial ATP synthaseOrganotin miticides38Cyhexatin12 CInhibitors of mitochondrial ATP synthasePropargite14Propargite12 DInhibitors of mitochondrial ATP synthaseTetradifon12Tetradifon13Uncouplers of oxidative phosphorylation via disruption of the proton gradientPyrroles, Dinitrophenols, Sulfluramid38Chlorfenapyr14Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) channel blockersNereistoxin analogues45Thiocyclam15Inhibitors of chitin biosynthesis affecting CHS1Benzoylureas1115Lufenuron16Inhibitors of chitin biosynthesis, type 1Buprofezin11Buprofezin17Moulting disruptor, DipteranCyromazine11Cyromazine18Ecdysone receptor agonistsDiacylhydrazines46Tebufenozide19Octopamine receptor agonistsAmitraz17Amitraz20 AMitochondrial complex III electron transport inhibitors – Qo siteHydramethylnon11Hydramethylnon20 BMitochondrial complex III electron transport inhibitors – Qo siteAcequinocyl11Acequinocyl20 CMitochondrial complex III electron transport inhibitors – Qo siteFluacrypyrim14Fluacrypyrim20 DMitochondrial complex III electron transport inhibitors – Qo siteBifenazate11Bifenazate21 AMitochondrial complex I electron transport inhibitorsMETI acaricides and insecticides69Tebufenpyrad21 BMitochondrial complex I electron transport inhibitorsRotenone11Rotenone22 AVoltage-dependent sodium channel blockersOxadiazines11Indoxacarb22 BVoltage-dependent sodium channel blockersSemicarbazones11Metaflumizone23Inhibitors of acetyl-CoA carboxylaseTetronic and Tetramic acid derivatives56Spirotetramat24 AMitochondrial complex IV electron transport inhibitorsPhosphides43Phosphine24 BMitochondrial complex IV electron transport inhibitorsCyanides33Sodium cyanide25 AMitochondrial complex II electron transport inhibitorsBeta-ketonitrile derivatives26Cyenopyrafen25 BMitochondrial complex II electron transport inhibitorsCarboxanilides11Pyflubumide28Ryanodine receptor modulatorsDiamides519Chlorantraniliprole29Chordotonal organ nicotinamidase inhibitorsFlonicamid12Flonicamid30GABA-gated chloride channel allosteric modulatorsMeta-diamides, Isoxazolines315Broflanilide31BaculovirusesGranuloviruses (GVs), Nucleopolyhedroviruses (NPVs)4n.a.Cydia pomonella GV32Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor (nAChR) allosteric modulators - Site IIGS-omega/kappa HXTX-Hv1a peptide1n.a.GS-omega/kappa HXTX-Hv1a peptide33Calcium‐activated potassium channel (KCa2) modulatorsAcynonapyr11Acynonapyr34Mitochondrial complex III electron transport inhibitors – Qi siteFlometoquin11Flometoquin35RNA interference mediated target suppressorsRibonucleic acids (RNA)22Ledprona36Chordotonal organ modulators – undefined target sitePyridazine pyrazolecarboxamides11Dimpropyridaz37Vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT) inhibitorOxazosulfyl11OxazosulfylUNCompounds of unknown or uncertain MoAmany various classes1083BenzoximateUNBBacterial agents (non-Bt) of unknown or uncertain MoAclass not defined2n.a.Wolbachia pipientis (Zap)UNEBotanical essence including synthetic, extracts and unrefined oils with unknown or uncertain MoAclass not defined5n.a.Neem oilUNFFungal agents of unknown or uncertain MoAclass not defined6n.a.Beauveria bassiana strainsUNMNon-specific mechanical and physical disruptorsclass not defined3n.a.Mineral oilUNPPeptides of unknown or uncertain MoAno examplesnonen.a.no examplesUNVViral agents (non-baculovirus) of unknown or uncertain MoAno examplesnonen.a.no examples

See also HRAC classification List of insecticides References

External links IRAC website home page