Effect of Spray Schedules on the Control of Bollworm Complex of American Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L., var: Pusa 8–6

Field trials were conducted during kharif seasons of 2001 and 2002 with American cotton variety Pusa 8–6 to study the bio-efficacy of different spray schedules against bollworms. Six rounds of spraying with newer insecticides (acetamiprid, imidacloprid, betacyfluthrin, spinosad, bifenthrin and lambdacyhalothrin) were found to be promising in reducing the bollworms incidence and increasing the cotton yield. This schedule was more potent and economical than the spray schedule of ten to eleven sprays generally practiced in northern India. The conventional and eco-friendly insecticides, neem and Bt were not found effective in managing bollworms.