Influence of pesticides and application methods on

Authors: Rishi Kumar S Kranthi M Nitharwal S L Jat D Monga

Publish Date: 2012/06/08

Volume: 40, Issue: 5, Pages: 417-424

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Abstract

Incidence of sucking pests was studied in a transgenic Bt and nontransgenic cotton nonBt agro ecosystem in 2008 and 2009 Simultaneously the influence of different pesticides applied in two different methods on sucking pests and generalist predators was investigated on transgenic cotton In stem application the insecticides solutions prepared were painted directly on the middle portion of the plant stem but in foliar application the recommended dosages of the insecticides were sprayed on the cotton plant The transgenic and nontransgenic cotton did not differ significantly in the population of sucking pests The different pesticides when applied by foliar sprays reduced significantly more sucking pests than stem application Among the different insecticides used imidacloprid caused the maximum reduction of the leaf hopper population acetamiprid caused the maximum whitefly reduction and clothianidin caused the maximum thrips reduction under foliar application Via stem application acetamiprid and thiomethoxam were found better in suppression of the sucking pests’ population but the population of predators was significantly less disrupted by the stem application method The foliar application was in general more effective stem application may be more applicable early in the season when its efficacy was higher and when foliar sprays were particularly destructive to beneficial pests In foliar application all the systemic neonicotinoids like imidacloprid clothianidin admire thiamethoxam and acetamiprid were found highly toxic to natural enemies in comparison with spirotetramat buprofezin and fipronil

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