Efficacy of Certain Insecticides and Biopesticides against Dimondback Moth Plutella xylostella (Linnaeus) on Cabbage, Brassica oleracea (Linnaeus)

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted in the Rabi season of 2021 at Central research farm (CRF), Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, India. The experiment was laid in Randomised Block Design (RBD) with eight treatments each replicated thrice using a Golden acer. The treatments were Spinosad 45SC, Flubendiamide 20% WG, Bacillus thuringiensis 0.5% WP, Indoxacarb 14.5SC, Neem oil, Beauveria bassiana 1% WP (1X108 CFU/gm), Azadirachtin 0.03%EC and untreated Control. The data on the mean larval population of the first spray and second spray, overall mean revealed that all the treatments except untreated control are effective and at par. Among all the treatments, the least larval population of Diamondback moth was recorded in Spinosad 45SC (0.800) followed by Flubendiamide 20% WG (0.934), Indoxacarb 14.5 SC (1.223), and Neem oil (1.667), Azadirachtin 0.03%EC (1.811) which was followed by Bacillus thuringiensis 0.5% WP (2.156), Beauveria bassiana 1% WP (2.211) was the least effective among all treatments. While the highest yield 302 q/ha was obtained from the treatment Spinosad 45SC. It was followed by Flubendiamide 20% WG (270 q/ha) and Indoxacarb 14.5SC (256 q/ha). When the cost-benefit ratio was worked out, an interesting result was achieved. Among the treatments studied, the best and most economical treatment was Flubendiamide 20% WG (1:6.12) followed by Spinosad 45SC (1:5.89), Indoxacarb 14.5SC (1:5.16), Neem oil (1:5.00), Azadirachtin 0.03%EC (1:4.89), Bacillus thuringiensis 0.5% WP (1:4.75), Beauveria bassiana 1% WP (1:4.43) as compared to control plot (1:2.96).