Efficacy of some new insecticides against aerial form of the apple wooly aphid, Eriosoma lanigerum (Hausmann)

The efficacy of four insecticides against the aerial form of apple wooly aphid, Eriosoma lanigerum (Hausmann) was evaluated during October-November 2014 and 2015 in apple orchards at Mashobra district Shimla of Himachal Pradesh. Fourteen days after the spray, chlorpyriphos (0.04%) exhibited maximum efficacy (0.05 aphid colonies/twig) followed by flupyradifurone (0.04 and 0.03%), (1.67 and 2.18 aphid colonies/twig), respectively. Flupyradifurone (0.02%), thiacloprid (0.01%) and imidacloprid (0.005%) were inferior comparatively. Of the three concentrations of flupyradifurone, the higher doses (0.04 and 0.03%) were found to be effective and found at par with chlorpyriphos. Except thiacloprid (0.01%) and imidacloprid (0.005%), all other treatments were quite effective in suppression of the aphid up to 21 days after spray. All the insecticides proved safe without any phytotoxic symptoms.