Efficacy of certain insecticides on papaya mealybug, Paracoccus marginatus Williams & Granara de Willink (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae)

Abstract

The papaya mealybug, Paracoccus marginatus (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) has emerged as the most devastating pest of papaya recently. It is the necessity of time to stay well equipped to conquer such pest by using potential insecticides. Certain newer insecticides along with some conventional insecticides were assayed using potato dip method against female P. marginatus. After 24 hours, chlorpyriphos 20 EC (LC50 21 µl/l) and thiamethoxam 25 WG (LD50 44 mg/l) were the most effective and Buprofezin 25 SC (LC50 1000 µl/l) proved to be the least effective among the insecticides tested in bioassay test. Whereas in case of field trials, Thiamethoxam 25 WG, Spirotetramat 240 EC, Imidacloprid 17.8 SL, Dimethoate 30 EC, Lamda-cyhalothrin 5 EC and Buprofezin 25 SC were found to be very effective for management of the pest.