INSECTICIDAL AND REPELLENT COMPARATIVE TOXICANT EFFICACY AGAINST PAPILIO DEMOLEUS (L.) INFESTING CITRUS LIMON

Abstract

Five novel insecticides; Belt 480g/L SC (Flubendiamide), Regent 5% SC (Fipronil), Coragen (Chlorantraniliprole 18.5% SC), Helmet 40 EC (Chlorpyrifos), Emamectin Benzoate 1.9 EC, including control (water spray) were tested under field conditions. Their insecticidal and repellent effectiveness against the larval population of Papilio. demoleus (P. demoleus) were examined on Citrus limon orchard leaves at district Naushahro Feroze during, 2020. The recommended dose of insecticides was sprayed with five treatments and three replications. The insecticide efficacy and population reduction % of P. demoleus were recorded on the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 6th, and 8th post-spray days. The results revealed that the Belt with the highest efficacy and reduction % against larvae of P. demoleus (80.99±9.00), followed by the Regent (79.88±8.94), Coragen (77.06±8.78), Helmet (74.11±8.61), Emamectin (72.53±8.52) when compared with water spray control plot (5.89) mean percent under field conditions. It is proved that Belt insecticide was most effective in the reduction % of the larvae of this pest. The application of these insecticides may be promising in reduction population of P. demoleus larvae on C. limon orchards. Therefore; it is an immediate call and strongly needed to introduce suitable measures and enhance biological, cultural, and structural remedial to secure the citrus fruits from this plague insect. It is recommended that appropriate controlling strategies and proper insect pest management should be applied to safe and sound the quality and quantity of citrus orchards and their fruit production.