Alika 247 ZC (Thiamethoxam 12.6% + Lambda-Cyhalothrin 9.5%) against Pest Complex of Tea in West Bengal

Performance of a ready-mix insecticide, Alika 247 ZC (thiamethoxam 12.6 per cent + lambda-cyhalothrin 9.5 per cent) is reported at three different doses against major pests of tea, viz. thrips, tea mosquito bug and semilooper, during the months of September-October of 2012 and 2013 at two different agro-climatic tea growing regions i.e. Terai and Dooars of West Bengal. The individual insecticides of the mixture and two other standard checks quinalphos 25 per cent EC and profenophos 50 per cent EC at the recommended doses along with untreated control (water spray) were compared with it. Alika 247 ZC @ 33 g a.i. ha⁻¹ was the best treatment in reducing population of all the three pests, thereby increasing yield of tea. At Location I, Alika 247 ZC @ 33 g a.i. ha⁻¹ was the best treatment in reducing thrips (98.42 and 98.54 per cent reduction), semilooper (99.15 and 99.48 per cent reduction) and mosquito bug (2.64 and 1.78 per cent shoot infestation) for two consecutive years, respectively whereas at Location II, the corresponding values were 98.98 and 99.20 per cent reduction of thrips, 96.75 and 98.62 per cent reduction of semilooper and 2.38 and 1.79 per cent shoot infestation by mosquito bug. Alika 247 ZC was also relatively safe to the important natural predators found in the tea ecosystem.