Augmentative release of reduviid bug and evaluation of its efficacy against tea looper under field conditions

To achieve an insight into the biological management strategy of the black inch looper, H. talaca, the present work was carried out to study the evaluation against commonly used pesticides, and field release of S. collaris, a natural predator. An attempt has also been made to ascertain the effect of nine commonly used recommended insecticides on these predators in the tea ecosystem, by subjecting the predators to pesticides like Quinalphos, Thiamethoxam, Bifenthrin, Deltamethrin, Emamectin benzoate, Fenpyroxymate, Flubendiamide, Azadirachtin formulation and Beauveria bassiana. The results indicated that, among the pesticides tested, Thiamethoxam and Quinalphos caused the maximum mortality on S. collaris. Our studies emphasized the possibility of fitness, mass rearing, and augumentative field release of S. collaris as a tool in the biological control strategy of H. talaca in the tea ecosystem.