SCREENING OF A NEW CHEMISTRY INSECTICIDE AGAINST AMRASCA BIGUTTULA BIGUTTULA ON COTTON

Abstract

In the pursuit of effective management strategies against Amrasca biguttula biguttula, a notorious pest infesting cotton crops, this study investigated the efficacy of novel insecticides during the Kharif season 2023 at the Plant Protection Research Institute, Tandojam. Employing a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications, four treatments including Simodis, Inspire SC 17.5%, Latitude Star 53% WDG, and an untreated control were evaluated for their impact on pest infestation levels. Data analysis revealed significant reductions in pest population following insecticide application, with Simodis demonstrating the highest efficacy, consistently outperforming other treatments. Initially, the pest population ranged between 6.46±1.31 to 9.07±1.2 per plant. Simodis showed the best control, bringing the population down to 3.07±0.59 after 24 hours, followed by Inspire (5.2±0.48) and Latitude Star (5.87±0.83). This downward trend continued for 96 hours. However, one week after the spray, all treatments showed an increase in pest numbers, with Latitude Star having the highest (6.87±0.98) followed by Inspire (4.6±0.78) and Simodis (3.5±0.52). The pest population then slowly increased throughout the second week, with Simodis again maintaining the lowest population (5.73±0.41) compared to Inspire (6.8±1.15) and Latitude Star (6.96±1.17).  The second spray of insecticides also showed Simodis as the most effective treatment. The initial pest population ranged from 6.26±0.38 to 7.27±0.67 per plant. After 24 hours, Simodis again had the lowest number (2.53±0.37) followed by Inspire (3.6±0.31) and Latitude Star (3.66±0.38). The pest population decreased to 96 hours but then increased after a week. Like the first application, Latitude Star had the highest pest count (3.52±0.38) at this point, followed by Inspire (3.46±0.45) and Simodis (1.91±0.19). The pest numbers slightly fluctuated throughout the second week, with Simodis maintaining the lowest population (3.87±0.68) compared to Inspire (4.52±0.41) and Latitude Star (5.8±0.47). Overall, the study contributes valuable insights into the efficacy of novel insecticides in controlling A. biguttula biguttula infestations. By elucidating the interplay between chemical treatments, environmental conditions, and pest dynamics, this research offers a holistic understanding essential for optimizing pest control strategies in cotton cultivation.