Efficacy of biorationals against two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch, (Acari: Tetranychidae) infesting green pepper cultivated under protected conditions

Abstract

ABSTRACT Green Pepper (Capsicum annuum var. frutescens Linnaeus) is a highly nutritious and commercial vegetable crop grown in open field and protected conditions throughout the world. However, two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae) causes major problems in its cultivation under protected conditions resulting in significant losses. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of different biorationals against T. urticae under laboratory and poly-nethouse conditions. Results revealed that among all the biorational treatments, there was more than 80% reductionwith propargite and spiromesifen, whereas minimum reduction of mites was reported in HMO at 0.2% (35–41% mortality). In botanicals, ozoneem resulted in higher mortality (47–78%) as compared to homemade neem fruit aqueous extract (41–62%). Among entomopathogenic fungi, Beauvaria bassiana was found more effective with mortality range of 43–58% compared to Lecanicillium lecani. The predatory mite, Neoseiulus longispinosus reduced the pest mite population by 40–60% at different ratios. All treatments were found superior in reducing the population of pest mite over the untreated control, so these biorationals can be integrated for effective mite management programmes under protected conditions.