Population dynamics of arthropods under different insecticide and biopesticide treatments in okra

Abstract

Efficacy of different insecticides and biopesticides was
evaluated against arthropods on okra crop at Vegetable
Research Farm, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana
during 2019-20. For sucking arthropods, all evaluated
insecticides were significantly effective and amongst them
flonicamid 50% WP (0.8g/l water) proved to be more effective
having higher percent reduction (67.31 to 96.14%) compared
to controls. However, imidacloprid 200 SL (0.4ml/l water)
was effective against okra fruit and shoot borer and
American bollworm (79.18% and 78.60%, percent reduction
over control) and spiromesifen 240 SC (1.5ml/l water) against
red spider mite. Interestingly, neem based biopesticides
enhance predator population as compared to insecticides.
Although, the use of chemical pesticides cannot be omitted
completely as they form mainstay of management strategies,
yet their use can be limited by including cheaper alternative
biopesticides like azadiractin 50,000 ppm @ 0.8 ml/l of water
which may provide good control of above sucking
arthropods as compared to controls.