Chemical Management of the Papaya Mealybug, Paracoccus marginatus Williams and Granara de Willink

Paracoccus marginatus Williams and Granara de Willink (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) has been the current topic of research for insect taxonomists and applied entomologists in India as it has caused havoc in various crops due to its invasiveness, rapid-spread, morphological and biological variations ever since its first report from Coimbatore in 2007. Chemical management of P. marginatus was studied on papaya under laboratory. Neonate crawlers from field population were collected and constituted the study was done on reared population. Experimental results revealed that maximum (94.44%) mortality was observed when 2^nd instar nymphs were treated with thiamethoxam, which was followed by profenophos (92.30%) and acephate (89.30%). Whereas, minimum mortality was observed when mealybug nymphs treated with triazophos + deltamethrin (66.87%). Similarly, against 3^rd instar nymphs, maximum (89.86%) mortality was observed when nymphs were treated with thiamethoxam, which was followed by profenophos (89.70%) and acephate (86.26%), respectively. Whereas, minimum mortality was observed when mealybug nymphs treated with triazophos+deltamethrin (59.92%).