Search for safer ways to protect Okra plants

Natural components like plant fractions, barrier and trap crop, biopesticide, straw mulch, phytosanitation etc. were evaluated to design safer pest management modules against okra pests. The module components effectively checked the infestation and damage of the important pests like spotted borer (4.6 - 7.2% infested fruit), white fly (0.6 - 1.7/leaf), aphid (2.6 - 4.8/leaf), thrips (2.1 - 3.2/leaf) and jassid (1.1 - 1.8/leaf) and registered good yields. Results showed that the modules effectively checked the growth and development of the pest populations and their subsequent damage, offered superior return as compared to treated chemical check and were also safer to natural enemies and pollinators.