Evaluation of Biopesticides and Biorationals against Sucking Pest Complex and Their Safety to Ladybird Beetle of Okra [Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench]
Ravindra Orya Vasave *
Department of Entomology, Government College of Agriculture, Dhule, Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri-413 722, Maharashtra, India.
B. M. Mhaske
Agricultural Research Station (ARS), Niphad, Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri- 413 722, Maharashtra, India.
D. R. Nandre
Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Dhule, Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri- 413 722, Maharashtra, India.
P. P. Patil
Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Dhule, Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri- 413 722, Maharashtra, India.
Aniket Prakash Ahire
Department of Entomology, Government College of Agriculture, Dhule, Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri-413 722, Maharashtra, India.
K. S. Kolhe
Department of Entomology, Government College of Agriculture, Dhule, Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri-413 722, Maharashtra, India.
P. B. Toradmal
Department of Entomology, Government College of Agriculture, Dhule, Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri-413 722, Maharashtra, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
A field experiment was conducted during the kharif 2025 season at the Instructional Farm, Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Dhule, Maharashtra, to evaluate selected biopesticides and biorationals against sucking pests of okra and assess their effects on predatory ladybird beetles. Seven treatments, including an untreated control, were arranged in a randomised block design with three replications. Two foliar sprays were applied at a 14-day interval. Leafhopper, aphid and whitefly populations were assessed on three leaves of five tagged plants per plot, while ladybird beetles were counted per plant. Emamectin benzoate 5% SG at 0.5 g/L recorded the lowest mean populations across both sprays: 0.88 leafhoppers, 1.19 aphids and 0.48 whiteflies per three leaves per plant, compared with 6.76, 15.12 and 6.94, respectively, in the untreated control. Among the biopesticides, sequential application of Lecanicillium lecanii followed by Beauveria bassiana 1.15% WP gave mean counts of 2.40 leafhoppers, 3.81 aphids and 1.76 whiteflies. Metarhizium anisopliae 1.15% WP also reduced pest populations, with corresponding means of 2.64, 4.47 and 2.13. Ladybird beetle populations showed no statistically significant differences among treatments at the recorded observation times. Under the conditions of this field experiment, emamectin benzoate provided the greatest suppression of the three sucking pests, while the fungal treatments showed potential as biological management options.
Keywords: Okra, biopesticides, biorationals, leafhopper, aphid, whitefly, bio-efficacy, sucking pest, natural Enemies