Evaluating the Efficacy of Selected Insecticides on Diamondback Moth (Plutella xylostella) Damaging Cabbage (Brassica oleracea)

Abstract

A field investigation was carried out in Rabi season of 2022-2023 at the Central Research Farm (CRF), Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences, Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, India to evaluate the efficacy of some selected pesticides on controlling diamondback moth that causes yield loss of cabbage. The experiment was laid in Randomized Block Design (RBD) with eight treatments each replicated thrice using a single variety Green Soccer. The treatments viz. NSKE 5% @50 ml/L, Spinosad 45% SC @0.35 ml/L, Emamectin Benzoate 5% SG @0.5 g/L, Neem oil 5% @50 ml/L, Dimethoate 30% EC @1 ml/L, Indoxacarb 14.5% SC @ 0.5 g/L, Cartap Hydrochloride 50% SP @0.5ml/L, and along with an untreated control was used against Plutella xylostella in Cabbage. The overall mean data on larval population of diamond back moth over control on first and second spray revealed that all treatments were significantly superior over control. Among all the treatments Spinosad 45% SC showed the lowest mean larval population (2.04%), (0.93%) followed by Emamectin benzoate 5% SG (2.22%) (1.06%), Indoxacarb 14.5% SC (2.66%) (1.37%), Cartap Hydrochloride 50% SP (3.20%) (1.86%), Dimethoate 30% EC (3.48%) (2.02 %), and NSKE 5% (4.08 %) (2.33 %), Neem oil 5% (3.82 %), (2.37 %) and highest population was recorded in control (8.13%), (7.73%). The highest yield and cost benefit ratio recorded in Spinosad 45% SC (296 q/ha) (1:5.7) followed by Emamectin benzoate 5% SG (264 q/ha) (1:6.2), Indoxacarb 14.5% SC (249 q/ha) (1:5.0), Cartap Hydrochloride 50% SP (215 q/ha) (1:4.8) followed by Dimethoate 30% EC (194 q/ha) (1:4.4), Neem oil 5% (178 q/ha), (1:3.9) and NSKE 5% (170 q/ha) (1:3.8) and control (102 q/ha) (1:2.5). The information obtained in this study has the potential application for controlling diamondback moth and will be useful to the farmers and researchers.