Evaluation of botanicals Crotalaria burhia buch-ham and Anacardium occidentale L. against termite Odontotermes obesus Rambur (Isoptera: Termitidae) in wheat

In recent times, termites have gained importance in agriculture as a pest in wheat crop. Famers are using chemical pesticides for the management of termites, which eventually leads to degradation of soil, insecticide residue, pest resurgence, air pollution, water pollution and also affects human health. In this regard, botanicals as an effective alternate to insecticides in the management of termites is crucial. The root and leaf extracts of Crotalaria burhia Buch-Ham and Anacardium occidentale L. against termites was evaluated.

Field experiments were conducted to assess the efficacy of botanicals viz., Crotalaria burhia Buch-Ham and Anacardium occidentale L. along with Indigenous technologies, biofungicide and standard chemicals against Odontotermes obesus Rambur in wheat. An experiment was laid at the Research Farm, Institute of Pesticide Formulation Technology, Gurgaon, Haryana during two seasons, i.e., November 2014-March 2015 and during December 2015-April 2016.

The test botanicals incorporated along with indigenous technologies and widely recommended termiticides assessed for their efficacy against O. obesus in wheat at two locations proved to be effective in the order of imidacloprid 17.8 SL at 350 ml ha^-1> chlorpyrifos 20 EC at 2 l ha^-1 > B. bassiana 2×10⁸ at 500 ml ha^-1 > C. burhia root extract (10%) at 50 l ha^-1 > A. occidentale leaf dust (5%) at 25 kg ha^-1 > irrigating plots > neem oil (2%) > dusting salt at 25 kg ha^-1.