Efficacy of Insecticides against Insect Pests of Cotton and Their Natural Enemies

In a study on the efficacy of insecticides against insect pests on cotton, two sprays of imidacloprid (150 ml/ha) was found significantly superior with reduction of aphids (87.50%) and jassids (89.68%). Buprofezin (1000 ml/ha) was the most effective against whiteflies (89.71%) and acephate (780 g/ha) caused maximum reduction of thrips (88.89%). Significantly higher numbers of natural enemies were observed with imidacloprid 200 SL @ 150 ml/ha (2.80 grub and 2.47 adult coccinellids, 1.73 bugs and 2.47 spiders/plant) while imidacloprid (150 ml/ha) was observed relatively safer to natural enemies, and profenophos (2000 ml/ha) the most toxic.