National Horticultural Research and Development Foundation, Chitegaonphata, Post-Darnasangvi, Taluka-Niphad, Nasik-422 001, India
*Corresponding author's e-mail: pandeysujay@yahoo.co.in
Online published on 23 December, 2013.
Field experiments were conducted at Regional Research Station Nashik in two consecutive years during Rabi 2007–08 and 2008–09 on onion variety Agrifound Light Red for the management of onion thrips to assess the efficacy of neem based botanicals and chemical insecticides comprising N.S.K.E. @ 4.0%, Neem Seed Powder @ 6.0%, Fipronil 5 SC @ 1.5 ml/lt., Imidacloprid 17.8 SL @ 0.3ml/lit and Spinosad 45 SC @ 1.0 ml/lt. by applying just after appearance of thrips which was followed by two sprays at fifteen days interval. The lowest mean thrips population (8.0 nymphs/plant) and the highest marketable yield (362 Q/ha) were achieved by applying fipronil @ 1.5 ml/lt. resulting in the highest cost benefit ratio (1:11.55) leading to an arbitration of spraying fipronil @ 1.5 ml/lt. at fifteen days interval minimize the thrips population and increase the yield of Rabi onion, while neem based formulations were found less effective.
Chemical insecticides, Neem based botanicals, Onion, Thrips tabaci
