Management of sucking pests of cowpea through seed treatment

A seed treatment trial was conducted at research farm of Centre or Excellence for Research on Pulses, S. D. Agricultural University, Sardarkrushinagar during Kharif, 2010. A total of four insecticides with their two different doses were given as a seed treatment to cowpea seeds one day before sowing. All the seed treatments were found significantly superior over control in reducing the sucking pests in cowpea. The seed treatment of imidacloprid 70 WS @ 5g/kg seeds and 3g/kg seeds, Thiomethoxam70 WS@ 5g/kg seeds and Fipronil 5%SC@ 2 & 4 ml/kg seeds found superior in reducing the leafhopper population. However, significantly minimum population of whitefly was noticed in Thiomethoxam70 WS@ 5 g/kg seeds and 3 g/kg seeds. Lowest population of thrips observed in Imidacloprid 70 WS @ 5g/kg seeds. Significantly higher grain yield was harvested from Imidacloprid 70 WS @ 5g/kg seeds and 3g/kg seeds and Fipronil 5% SC @ 4 ml/kg seeds. Higher PCBR was obtained in the treatment of Fipronil 5% SC @ 4 ml/kg seeds.