Bio-efficacy of insecticides against Lipaphis erysimi (Kalt.) in mustard ecosystem

Abstract

A Field study was conducted at Pantnagar (India) to determine the effectiveness of seven insecticides viz., quinalphos 25 EC, thiamethoxam 25 WG,malathion 50 EC, fenvalerate 20 EC, chlorpyrifos 20 EC, dimethoate 30 EC and imidacloprid 17.8 SL against mustard aphid, Lipaphis erysimi Kalt. The observations were recorded at 3, 7 and 10 days after spraying of insecticides. The results revealed that thiamethoxam 25 WG was the most effective among the seven insecticides showing the minimum numbers of L. erysimi Kalt followed by imidacloprid and dimethoate. The maximum seed yield (12.36 q/ha) was obtained from the treatment of imidacloprid which remained on par with the treatments of thiamethoxam (10.0 q/ha) and quinalphos (9.31 q/ha). The lowest seed yield was obtained from untreated plots (6.04 q/ha). So neonicotinoid insecticides (thiamethoxam and imidacloprid) could be used in mustard ecosystem to control mustard aphid, Lipaphis erysimi with high yield.