Comparative efficacy of selected insecticides and aqueous neem seed kernel extract against Pieris brassicae infesting cauliflower in dry temperate zone of North Western Himalaya

Abstract

Five insecticides, i.e. lambda cyhalothrin 5 EC [Bravo5000®] (0.0025%), profenofos 50 EC [Profenofos®] (0.05%), triazophos 40 EC [Hostathion®] (0.04%), imidacloprid 17.8 SL [Maharaja®] (0.0178%), dichlorvos 76 EC [Nuvan®] (0.018%) and aqueous neem seed kernel extract (5.0 ml/L) were evaluated for the management of Pieris brassicae. Experiments were conducted in randomised block design (RBD) with three replications at research farm of Highland Agricultural Research and Extension Centre, Kukumseri, Lahaul and Spiti, Himachal Pradesh during kharif 2008 and 2009. It was concluded that all the insecticides evaluated in the present studies were effective in controlling P. brassicae on cauliflower and helped in increasing the marketable yield of curds by manifolds. However, lambda cyhalothrin was best in reducing the P. brassicae population, whereas triazophos gave highest reduction in plant infestation by P. brassicae. NSKE was least effective in curtailing P. brassicae infestation. The highest mean yield (16.16 tonnes/ha) was obtained in dichlorvos sprayed plots which also proved to be the most economical insecticide having the highest BC ratio (2.51).