Effect of sowing dates and insecticides on yellow mite, Polyphagotarsonemus latus infestation in jute

The population of yellow mite was significantly more in early sown crop. During 45 to 60 DAS, it ranged from 51.66–71.78 mites/cm² in early sown crop (15^th March) as compared to 21.06–71.78 mites/cm² in late sown crop (15^th April). The mean of mite population after the application of acaricides at 45 and 60 DAS reduced the mite population significantly to, 19.76 and 11.05 mites/cm² leaf in dicofol, fenazaquin and abamectin (1.8 EC) treatment as compared to pre-spray observation of 36.01 to 54.40 mites/cm². Early sown crop proved to be optimum in terms of less infestation of yellow mite vis-a-vis with highest fibre yield of 34.41 q/ha in comparison to late sown crop in which the average fibre yield of 22.32 q/ha was recorded. Although all the acaricides significantly reduced the mite infestation in jute, but abamectin followed by dicofol (18.5 EC) and fenazaquin (10 EC) gave better protection of mites.