To evaluate crop diversification based IPM modules against insect pests of okra

Abstract

The investigation on “To evaluate crop diversification based IPM modules against insect pests of okra viz., Leafhoppers, Whiteflies and Shoot and Fruit borers” was carried out at College of Horticulture, Bagalkot, Karnataka, India during summer season of the academic year 2019. The experiment was laid out in randomized completely block design with four treatments and five replications. The treatments included, (T1) crop diversification based bio-intensive module, (T2) crop diversification based adoptable module, (T3) recommended plant protection and (T4) an untreated check. Observations on pests were recorded on okra crop at ten days intervals starting from 20 days after sowing. Among the different IPM modules evaluated against insect pests of okra, Crop diversification based adoptable module consisting of the components like, two rows of 25 days old maize as barrier crop, one row of 25 days old marigold as trap crop, two rows of cowpea as border crop and okra intercropped with coriander (5:1), seed treatment with imidacloprid 600 FS at 10 ml per kg before sowing, application of neem powder at 2.5 q per ha at the time of ploughing, installation of pheromone traps at 5 per ha for monitoring of fruit borers, setting up of yellow sticky traps at 15 per ha for monitoring of sucking pests, ETL based application of azadirachtin 10,000 ppm at 1.0 ml/l + Lecanicillium lecanii (1×108 CFU/g) at 5 g/l, tolfenpyrad 15 EC at 1.0 ml, thiamethoxam 25 WG at 0.20 g, cyantraniliprole 10.26 OD at 1.0 ml and chlorantraniliprole 18.5 SC at 0.20 ml exhibited significantly lowest mean leafhoppers (2.24/leaf), whiteflies (0.81/leaf), shoot damage (5.19%), fruit damage by E. vittella (6.82%) and fruit borers damage H. armigera (6.39%).Further, Crop diversification based adoptable module registered significantly highest yield of (18.15 t ha-1), net returns (Rs. 2,90,340) and highest B:C ratio (5.00) as compared to recommended plant protection measures suggesting crop diversification based adoptable module was more effective, economically feasible and practically adoptable by the farming community.