Eco-friendly Integrated Pest Management for Sucking Pest Complex and Defoliators in Groundnut: Insights from Mancherial Telangana, India

Abstract

The present front line demonstration was conducted to demonstrate the effectiveness of Integrated Pest Management module in Groundnut crop cultivated in the Mancherial district of Telangana State during rabi seasons of 2022-23 and 2023-24. Groundnut is often referred to as the "King of Oilseeds" in India, where it ranks as the second-largest producer of groundnut globally. However, groundnut cultivation faces considerable yield losses each year due to various biotic and abiotic stresses, which significantly hinder the groundnut productivity in the country. Now a days, the adoption of management of groundnut insect pests through integrated pest management (IPM) strategies has increased, particularly due to the adverse effects associated with the indiscriminate use of insecticides alone. The study recorded the percentage control of leaf hoppers, thrips, leaf minor and Spodoptera litura compared to farmer’s practice. The results revealed that the superior percent reduction i.e., in the incidence of jassids in the IPM demonstrated plots at 16.77% and 26.58%, in case of thrips @ 13.81% and 19.47% and in case of leaf minor @ 39.7% and 48.5% and in case of Spodoptera @ 23.03% and 47.19% over farmers practice with increased yields of 16.79% and 13.10% during corresponding rabi seasons of 2022-23 and 2023-24 respectively. Further, the demonstration plots registered with higher groundnut yield of 3050 and 3020 kg/ha as compared to 2611 and 2670 kg/ha under farmers practice. The Cost-Benefit ratio of 2.92 and 3.15 respectively in the technology demonstrated plots whereas in farmers practice the recorded Cost - Benefit ratio of 2.18 and 2.47 during corresponding rabi seasons of 2022-23 and 2023-24 respectively. The findings suggest that the groundnut cultivated under IPM practices yields more than those grown using traditional methods. The IPM approach, encompassing all stages from tillage to harvest, enhances yield, improves input use efficiency, and provides greater economic benefits.