Progressive Agriculture

Field experiments were conducted to evaluate the efficacy of different pesticides and botanicals against the rice leaf folder, Cnaphalocrocis medinalis Guenee. The results indicated that the activity of C. medinalis lasted from second week of August to the last week of October during Kharif 2014. The peak of its activity was observed in the second fortnight of September during the crop season. The efficacy of insecticides, Fame 480 SC (Flubendiomide), Suthathion 40 EC (Trizophose), Mortar 75 SG (Cartep hydrochloride), Arrive 10 EC (Cypermethrin), Monocil 36 SL (Monocrotophose), Force 20 EC (Chlorpyriphose), Akalex 20AF(Quinalphose), Neem oil and Neem Seed Kernel Extract (NSKE) were evaluated against rice leaf-folder. All the insecticides caused 48.19 to 80.25 per cent mortality of the pest after 24 hours of spray. Insecticide treated plots invariably yielded higher than the control. The highest yield (4875.25 kg ha⁻¹) was recorded with Fame 480 SC (Flubendiomide) application and the lowest with NSKE (3612.50 kg ha⁻¹) as compared to control (3430.12 kg ha⁻¹). In regulating the use of these insecticides to rice, considerations should be given to the large amount of these insecticides released to the rice ecosystem and availability of alternate more safer insecticides for the leaf folder management.