Journal of Entomological Research

The safer modules including use of seed treatment with Trchoderma viride, raising seedling under net, repellent cropping (coriander and holy basil), barrier and trap cropping (corn), leaf extracts of giant milk weed (Calotropis sp.), neem (Azadirachta indica A. Juss) and nishinda (Vitex negundo L.), lemon extract, cow urine and raw butter milk effectively suppressed the growth and development of the pest populations on chilli recording lower mean numbers of thrips (4.6–5.7/four leaves), yellow mite (1.2–1.8/four leaves) and white fly (2.9–3.7/four leaves), kept the damages at low levels (3.84–4.68%, 3.06–4.23% and 1.33–4.00% apical leaf curling due to thrips, yellow mite and chilli leaf curl virus vectored by white fly, respectively), registered good yields (12.5–11.7 t/ha) and offered comfortable benefit-cost ratio (8.82–9.62). These safer treatments were significantly superior to standard treated check comprising of scheduled applications of thiamethoxam (four applications), emamectin benzoate (two applications) and cyazypyr (four applications) and quite safe to the natural enemy-complex comprising of coccinellids, spiders, syrphids and chrysopids and honey bees found in the chilli ecosystem.