Impact of newer pesticides and botanicals on sucking pest management in cotton under high density planting system (HDPS) in India

Abstract

In the present study, different insecticides were evaluated on cotton insect pests under high density planting system (HDPS) on research plots at Central Institute for Cotton Research, Nagpur during kharif 2012-13. Efficacy of Buprofezin, fipronil, imidacloprid, diafenthiuron, spiromesifen, flonicamid and acephate were among the synthetic insecticides whereas, biopesticides and botanicals included NSKE, Verticillium lecanii, mealy kill, mealy quit, bacterial formulation, neem oil was tested against cotton insect pests. Flonicamid 50% WG and Acephate, 75% SP were the most effective treatments which were significantly superior to all the other treatments was 2.19 Jassid nymphs/ 3 leaves/ plant and 2.59 nymphs/ 3 leaves/ plant respectively. The lowest whitefly population was recorded in the flonicamid 50% WG (0.42 whitefly/ 3 leaves/ plant), Verticillium lecanii (0.50 whitefly/ 3 leaves/ plant) and Spiromesifen (0.64 whitefly/ 3 leaves/ plant) as compared to other treatments. Further, these insecticides were found to be eco friendly and safe to the natural enemies.