Abstract

                                Two field trials were conducted at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore during 2016 and 2017 using pomegranate variety Ruby in randomized block design (RBD) to evaluate the thiacloprid 240 SC against pomegranate thrips, Scirtothrips dorsalis Hood. Thiacloprid 240 SC was tested in three different doses (0.24 g a.i. l-1, 0.30 g a.i. lit-1 and 0.36 g a.i. lit-1) along with standard check cyantraniliprole 10.26 OD @ 0.075 g a.i. lit-1 and an untreated check. Results revealed that thiacloprid 240 SC at 0.36 g a.i. lit-1 significantly reduced thrips population and recorded mean population reduction of more than 95 per cent over control followed by thiacloprid 240 SC at 0.30 g a.i. lit-1. The untreated check recorded the thrips population of 22.38 twig-1 tree-1. Based on the per cent reduction of population over untreated check, the order of efficacy of different insecticidal treatments were thiacloprid 240 SC at 0.36 g a.i. l-1 > thiacloprid 240 SC at 0.30 g a.i. lit-1 > thiacloprid 240 SC at 0.24 g a.i. lit-1 (90.22 %) = cyantraniliprole 10.26 OD at 0.075 g a.i. lit-1. Thiacloprid 240 SC in all the test doses did not cause much harm to the population of coccinellids and spiders population in the pomegranate agroecosystem. Pomegranate sprayed with thiacloprid 240 SC at 0.36 and 0.72 g a.i.lit-1 did not show any phytotoxic effects. Thiacloprid 240 SC at 0.36 and 0.30 g a.i. lit-1 was effective in increasing the fruit yield and recorded 24.40 and 24.12 t ha-1 and 25.13 & 25.00 t ha-1 during first and second season, respectively and found to be on par with each other.

Key words : Thiacloprid, Pomegranate, Thrips, Bioefficacy, Phytotoxicity