Efficacy of Insecticide Based Seed Treatments with Neem Seed Extract Sprays against Sorghum Shoot Fly <i>Atherigona soccata</i> in Sorghum

Abstract

This study was carried out under field conditions at the Sorghum Research Unit, Dr Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth, Akola during kharif 2020 to ascertain the effect of neem seed extract sprays along with seed treatments against sorghum shoot fly Atherigona soccata (Rondani). The counts of deadhearts in % at 21 and 28 days after emergence (DAE) varied significantly with the treatment schedule- least values of 13.15 and 15.22%, respectively were observed in seed treatment with imidacloprid 48FS @ 12 ml/ kg seed followed by quinalphos 25EC @ 2 ml/ l water spray 15 DAE. The next best treatments were viz., seed treatment with imidacloprid 30FS @ 12 ml/ kg seed with 13.68 and 16.29% deadhearts, respectively; it was followed by seed treatment with thiamethoxam 48FS @ 12 ml/ kg seed. Maximum grain yield (32.33 q/ ha) was observed with seed treatment with imidacloprid 48FS @ 12 ml/ kg followed by quinalphos 25EC @ 2 ml/ l water spray at 15 DAE. Maximum incremental cost and benefit ratio (ICBR) was obtained with seed treatment of thiamethoxam 30FS @ 12 ml/ kg with 1:96.68. Neem seed extract-based treatment schedules viz., NSE 5 % spray 7 DAE, treatment schedule NSE 5 % spray 7 and 11 DAE, treatment schedule NSE 5 % spray 7, 11 and 14 DAE and treatment schedule NSE 5 % spray 7 and 18 DAE gave less ICBR values.