Evaluation of integrated pest management module for major insect pests of castor in Tamil Nadu

Field trials were conducted during kharif season of 2016 and 2017 to evaluate the integrated pest management(IPM) module against major insect pests of castor in comparison with farmer's practice and untreated control. The IPM module viz., application of Btk @ 1 g/l for management ofsemilooper (Achaea janata), monitoring of tobacco caterpillar (Spodoptera litura) using pheromone trap (@ 4/acre from 30 DAS to November) and collection and destruction of gregarious stages of defoliators, application of flubendiamide 39.35 SC @ 0.2ml/l (for tobacco when foliar damage reaching 25%) and profenofos 50 EC @ 1ml/l (for capsule borer and or leafhopper when damage is reaching 10%) was found effective against insect pests in castor. After the treatment, mean population ofsemilooper (0.75 larva/plant), tobacco caterpillar (1.75 larva/plant), hairy caterpillar (0.67 larva/plant), capsule borer (1.02%), leafhopper (5.77 numbers/3 leaves/plant), and thrips (3.50 thrips/spike) was low in IPM module. Per cent parasitization by Microplitis maculipennis on semilooper larvae was highest (55.9%) in untreated control plots followed by IPM module plots (22.77%). Highest seed yield of 1770 kg/ha with favourable B:C ratio of 2.68 recorded from IPM module plot.