Population dynamics of arthropods under different insecticide and biopesticide treatments in okra

Efficacy of different insecticides and biopesticides was evaluated against arthropods on okra crop at Vegetable Research Farm, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana during 2019–20. For sucking arthropods, all evaluated insecticides were significantly effective and amongst them flonicamid 50% WP (0.8g/l water) proved to be more effective having higher percent reduction (67.31 to 96.14%) compared to controls. However, imidacloprid 200 SL (0.4ml/l water) was effective against okra fruit and shoot borer and American bollworm (79.18% and 78.60%, percent reduction over control) and spiromesifen 240 SC (1.5ml/l water) against red spider mite. Interestingly, neem based biopesticides enhance predator population as compared to insecticides. Although, the use of chemical pesticides cannot be omitted completely as they form mainstay of management strategies, yet their use can be limited by including cheaper alternative biopesticides like azadiractin 50,000 ppm @ 0.8 ml/l of water which may provide good control of above sucking arthropods as compared to controls.