The neem tree contains promising pest control substances which are effective against many pests. Oil extracted from neem seeds was used against cardamom thrips,Sciothrips cardamomi, a severe and economic pest of cardamom. Neem oil formulations, namely, Tamil Nadu Agricultural univeristy neem oil (TNAU NO) (acetic acid & citric acid), were found effective against the pest with a overall damage reduction of 30% after 14 days of treatment. The percent damage reduction in capsules over control after three consecutive sprays of TNAU NO(C) 2% and TNAU NO(A) 2% was 78.3 and 75.2 percent, respectively. The newly extracted and unformulated neem oil, though found inferior to the formulated one, still found to cause 50% and 70% reduction in damage caused by thrips at two and three rounds of sprays, making it useful in pest management. Organoleptic tests conducted on cardamom capsules sprayed with neem oil revealed no significant difference in taste, aroma, and overall acceptability of cow milk boiled with cardamom. Thus, TNAU NO (A and C) 2% was found effective against cardamom thrips with no adverse organoleptic properties and can be recommended.
Insecticidal seed treatment is an alternative method to spray and granular applications. It can protect the crop right from germination to reproductive stage. Recurrent use of chemical insecticides destabilizes the ecosystem and enhances the development of resistance in pest population. Use of biopesticides like neem oil (NO) is a promising one in this situation. Two field experiments were conducted to test the efficacy of NO as a seed dresser (20 ml kg À1 ) and the effect was compared with systemic chemical insecticides imidacloprid (7 g kg À1 ) and carbosulfan (7 g kg À1 ) and Pseudomonas fluorescens (10 g kg À1 ). Field studies revealed that the neem oil 60EC (C) (NO 60EC (C)) recorded minimum population of sucking pests Leafhopper-Amrasca biguttula biguttula Ishida and Aphids-Aphis gossypii Glover (Homoptera: Cicadellidae and Aphididae), i.e., below the ETL (2 number per leaf) up to 45 days after sowing and provided better yield compared to control. Although the systemic chemical insecticide imidacloprid performed better by recording 11,280 and 11,580 kg ha À1 of marketable fruit yield, NO 60EC (C) also recorded about twofold increase in marketable fruit yield 11,000 and 10,620 kg ha À1 , respectively, in 2001 and 2002 experiments. Results of this study suggest that NO could be used as a potential seed dresser for managing sucking pests in okra.
Studies were conducted in the field to evaluate the emamectin benzoate 5 SG for safety to predatory spiders in cotton ecosystem. The results showed that emamectin benzoate 5 SG was found be safer to spiders at all concentrations (Emamectin benzoate 5 SG at 7, 11 and 15 g a.i. / ha) tested compared to standard endosulfan35 EC. The highest spider population was recorded in plots treated with emamectin benzoate 5 SG at 7 g a.i. / ha followed by emamectin benzoate 5 SG at 11 g a.i. / ha, respectively.
Laboratory experiments were conducted at the Insectary, Department of Agricultural Entomology, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore during 2008-2009 to study the safety of emamectin benzoate 5 SG to the eggs, larvae and adults of Chrysoperla carnea (Stephens). Low egg mortality was recorded in emamectin benzoate 5 SG at 7 g (9.67%), 9 g (15.00%) and 11 g a.i. ha -1 (15.33%). The standard, Proclaim® 11 g (14.33%), spinosad 45 SC at 75g (19.00%) and endosulfan 35 EC at 350 g a.i. ha -1 (34.07%) recorded high mortality. Adult longevity was the highest in untreated check (15.77 days), emamectin benzoate 5 SG at 7 g (10.50 days) and 9g a.i. ha -1 (9.00 days). The number of eggs laid per five females was also greater in untreated check (373.67 eggs), 7g (132.33 eggs) and emamectin benzoate 5 SG at 9 g a.i. ha -1 (126.67 eggs). At 48 HAT, the lowest larval mortality was recorded in emamectin benzoate 5 SG at 7 g (17.67%) and 9 g a.i. ha -1 (21.00%) in larval feeding method. In dry film method at 48 HAT, the lowest per cent mortality of 16.67 per cent in emamectin benzoate 5 SG at 7 g followed by 26.67 per cent in emamectin benzoate 5 SG at 9 g a.i. ha -1 . Endosulfan 35 EC at 350 g a.i. ha-1 registered the highest larval mortality (43.33%), while untreated check recorded 3.33 per cent mortality.
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