Management of mites with homemade neem fruit aqueous extract in capsicum under protected cultivation

Abstract

Capsicum is a highly nutritious and commercial vegetable crop grown in open field and protected conditions throughout the world. But two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch and yellow mite, Polyphagotarsonemus latus (Banks) cause 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 especially neem fruit aqueous extract against T. urticae and P. latus under poly-nethouse and open field conditions in different vegetable growing areas of the state from 2017–2019. Results revealed that the homemade neem fruit aqueous extract (NFAE) was moderately effective causing 41–62% reduction in the mite population. In the NFAE treated plots the yield varied from 234.76 to 242.79 q/acre as compared to 247.99 q/acre in Malathion 50 EC® 4ml/L with significant differences as compared to control (224.69 q/acre). These botanicals can be integrated for effective mite management programs under protected conditions.