Central Plant Protection Training Institute, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh
Cotton crop has been incurring heavy losses due to outbreaks of whitefly, Bemisia tabaci Gn., and Helicoverpa armigera Hub. A demonstration of integrated pest management (IPM) was organized in farmers’ fields in Warangal district of Andhra Pradesh. A three acre field was divided into three blocks of one acre each for demonstration of IPM. One block was kept under farmers’ practices as a control. Integrating different methods of pest control and judicious use of pesticides, the bollworm incidence could be kept below economic threshold level besides reducing the pesticide load on the crop. The window concept of limited use of synthetic pyrethroids during the peak reproductive phase of the crop as a resistance management strategy for//, armigera has also been demonstrated. Utilization of IPM resulted in a higher cost: benefit ratio (1:4.5) in contrast with the farmers’ practices (1:1.5).
