Management of root mealybugs, Formicococcus polysperes williams in black pepper

Abstract

Field experiment conducted with the best chemical insecticides and botanical against black pepper root mealybug, formicococcus polysperes. Results revealed that, Among the insecticides tested at 5 days after treatment, chlorpyriphos 20EC @ 0.5ml/L, imidacloprid 17.8SL @0.5ml/L and chlorantriniliprole 0.4G @ 20g/ vine recorded mortality with 0.70, 0.83 and 1.14 root mealy bugs/ 15cm root length, respectively. At 30 days after treatment, per cent reduction over control with treatments showed, imidacloprid 17.8 SLwith 97 per cent and treatments with chlorpyriphos 20EC and phorate 10G showed 93 per cent mortality, respectively. While, the botanical treatment with Neem cake recorded 58 per cent mortality over control. Almost all treatment showed maximum reduction of root mealybugs. Application of chlorpyriphos gavethe highest benefit cost ratio of 2.81 followed by imidacloprid (2.61).