Eco-safe biopesticides to manage psyllids, Diaphorina citri in curry leaf, Murraya koenigii

Two field experiments were conducted during 2013-14 to evaluate the efficacy of different plant products, mineral oil and entomopathogens against psyllid, Diaphorina citri Kuwayama. Among different treatments tested, the efficacy of neem seed extract (NSE) 2.5% in combination with mineral oil 0.25% showed the maximum nymphal mortality of 79.1% and 79.3% in both the seasons followed by mineral oil 1% (75.0 and 76.2%). Regarding the toxicity of different treatments to adult psyllid population, the efficacy of mineral oil 1% was superior and effective with mortality of 76.2% (Season I) and 77.7% (Season II) followed by NSE 2.5% + mineral oil 0.25% combination (74.9and 75.5% respectively). The entomopathogens, Beauveria bassiana 1% and B. bassiana 1% + Bacillus subtillis 0.5%, tested were inferior to other treatments and showed minimal efficacy in containing the nymphal and adult population of psyllid. Treatments effective in checking psyllid population like plant products, mineral oil and their combination did not show any significant negative impacts and were found safer to the natural enemy population in curry leaf ecosystem.