First report on development of sustainable management strategy against Pentalonia nigronervosa coq. vector of banana bunchy top virus disease, its seasonal variation and effect on yield of banana in Jorhat district of Assam– A north eastern state of India

Abstract

Field experiments were conducted during 2013-15 in experimental plots of Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat, Assam to evolve a suitable management strategy against Pentalonia nigronervosa vector of Banana bunchy top virus disease. Virus free planting material cv. Grand Naine (tissue cultured) along with different pesticide combinations were used to reduced vector population and disease incidence in the field. Banana plants treated with foliar spraying of Imidacloprid @ 0.1% at 60, 90, 120 and 150 days after planting showed no disease incidence (0.00%), zero insect vector population count in all the two cropping seasons. Insect vector population was recorded in the range of 0.00 to 10.67, average 3.28 (2013-14), 0.00 to 9.33, average 2.67(2014-15) and 0.00 to 10.75, average 3.39 (pooled data).Whereas in untreated control plots recorded the highest disease incidence 95.84 per cent corresponding with a highest vector population in the range of 0.00 to 110.55, average 24.86 (pooled data).