Particle film technology for insect pest management in potato

An experiment was conducted under AICRP on potato at OUAT, Bhubaneswar on potato variety ‘Kufri Ashoka’ using the particle film technology against major insect pests. Kaolin was applied as foliar spray at different concentrations (1.25%, 2.5% and 3.75%), both under black polythene mulch and non-mulch conditions. Based on the pooled mean over two seasons, effectiveness of both the concentrations of kaolin (2.5% and 3.75%) were found to be statistically at par with regard to management of whiteflies (6.4 to 7.0 white flies/plant) irrespective of mulching of the plots and comparable to imidacloprid 17.8 SL @ 0.03% (2.3 to 2.7 whiteflies/plant). Similar trend of equal effectiveness against jassids was also observed in the experiment. Reduction in the population of cutworms and epilachna beetle revealed that these chewing insects avoided the leaves sprayed with kaolin irrespective of their concentrations. However, kaolin @ 2.5% treatment in non-mulching situation recorded higher benefit: cost (B:C) ratio (1.70) which is very close to that of standard chemical treatment imidacloprid 17.8 SL @0.03% (1.79). The SPAD reading showed no pattern of decrease or increase in chlorophyll content after kaolin spray to potato leaves. So considering the bio-efficacy against both sucking and chewing insect pests, kaolin @ 2.5% spray in non mulching condition was found to be the most efficient.