Efficacy of biopesticides and insecticides against army worm Mythimna separata (walker) Singh Beant*, Sarao P S Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, 141004, Punjab *Email: beant19@pau.edu (corresponding author)
Online published on 21 July, 2020. Abstract The army worm Mythimna separata (Walker) generally causes damage to wheat during March-April in India. However, in recent past, its damage has also been observed in December in Happy seeder + mulcher sown wheat fields. Paddy straw present in Happy seeder + mulcher sown wheat crop provide shelter to its infesting larvae, and it becomes difficult for insecticide to reach its target sites. An attempt was made to evaluate the efficacy of some commercial Bt formulations (Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki) and some insecticides viz. foliar application of chlorantraniliprole and soil application of chlorpyriphos and fipronil mixed with sand during rabi 2018–19. The results revealed that foliar application of chlorantraniliprole @ 100 ml ha−1 was the most promising with 96–98% damage reduction, 7–14 days after treatment. Soil application of fipronil @ 17.5 kg ha−1 was the next best with 87–95% damage reduction. Commercial Bt formulations gave relatively less reduction in damage, but 47–51% reduction was observed in 14 days. It can be concluded that foliar application of chlorantraniliprole @ 100 ml ha−1 and soil application of fipronil @ 17.5 kg ha−1 can be used for the effective management of army worm in the early stages of wheat. Top Keywords Mythimna separata, wheat, insecticides, biopesticides, early growth stages, seeder + mulcher sowing, Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki, chlorantraniliprole, fipronil. Top |