Klein, M., Department of Entomology of Pesticides and Natural Products, Agricultural Research Organization, Volcani Center, Bet Dagan, 50 250, Israel
Aharonson, N., Department of Chemistry of Pesticides and Natural Products, Agricultural Research Organization, Volcani Center, Bet Dagan, 50 250, Israel
Muszkat, L., Department of Chemistry of Pesticides and Natural Products, Agricultural Research Organization, Volcani Center, Bet Dagan, 50 250, Israel

The isomeric systemic carbamoyloximes aldicarb and butocarboxim were applied at two dose rates to the soil in young peach and plum groves to control the green leafhopper Asymmetrasca decedens Paoli. The effectiveness of the treatments was assessed indirectly by measuring the growth rate of shoots, and by determining the adult mortality of leafhoppers that were collected in the field and kept for 24 h on detached peach leaves in the laboratory. Residues of the insecticides and of their sulphoxide and sulphone metabolites, in the leaves of the peach trees, were determined 18 and 31 days after treatment. Only the sulphoxides and sulphones were found; the sulphoxides amounted to 70–80% of the toxic residues after 18 days, and to 50–70% after 31 days. At an identical rate of application, the leaves from aldicarb‐treated peach trees contained higher concentrations of the toxic metabolites and were more toxic to leafhoppers than those of trees treated with butocarboxim. Copyright © 1984 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd