Efficacy of Botanicals and Insecticides against Whitefly, Bemisia tabaci Gennadius (Homoptera; Aleyrodidae) in Mungbean

Mungbean is the major pulse crop of India. Pulse constitute the major source of dietary protein; therefore, it has ability to fulfil required protein recommended dietary allowance for vegetarian population of India. Pulse crop attack more than 200 insect pests.

Efficacy test of Botanicals and Insecticides viz., Kaner powder, Garlic extract, Azadirectin 1500 ppm, Dasparni Ark, flonicamid, thiamethoxam, Imidacloprid and Dimethoate against B. tabaci was conducted in mungbean during Kharif 2022–2023 at Students’ Instructional Farm, Acharya Narendra Deva University of Agriculture and Technology, Kumarganj, Ayodhya (UP), India under field conditions with nine treatements including control in three replication.

The results demonstrated that Thiamethoxam 25 WG (50 g a.i./ha) was the most effective insecticide among all treatments, with a significant population reduction above control, followed by Imidacloprid 70 WG (5 ml/l). Among the botanicals, Azadirectin 1500 ppm (5 ml/l) was the most effective against whitefly infestation in mungbean and could be applied as an eco-friendly alternative to conventional pesticides for whitefly management.