Adoption and efficacy of integrated pest management practices against pink bollworm, Pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders) in Bt-cotton

The results revealed that, due to adoption of IPM practices along with good agricultural practices, mean kapas yield was high in IPM demonstration plots (2352.0 kg/ha) with per cent increase of 16.6% over the farmers’ practice (2011.0 kg/ha) during kharif 2017–2019. The mean incidence of pink bollworm damage, per cent of rosette flowers, green boll, green boll locule, open boll and open boll locule damage were significantly low with 8.3%, 8.8%, 1.6%, 2.0% and 3.3% in demonstration plots against to farmers’ practice i.e., 14.6%, 13.2%, 2.3%, 5.8% and 9.1% respectively during experimental period. Pheromone trap catches were recorded @ 29.3 moths/trap. In the IPM demonstration plots, the insecticidal usage was reduced and an amount of Rs. 2,300/acre was saved on sprating cost. The demonstration plots had shown higher gross returns of Rs. 1,17,126.00/ha, net returns of Rs. 71,861.70/ha with a higher benefit-cost ratio 2.7 as compared to farmers’ practice Rs. 96,367.50/ha, Rs. 58,134.20/ha and 2.0, respectively during the three years of study. Cost of cultivation was saved for Rs. 3,302.00/ha and an additional net return of Rs. 13,727.50/ha was obtained in demonstration plots.