Cost Benefit Analysis of Integration of Biocontrol Agents with Insecticides and Plant Extracts for the Management of Thrips tabaci Lin. in Bt Cotton Ecosystem
Cost Benefit Analysis of Integration of Biocontrol Agents with Insecticides and Plant Extracts for the Management of Thrips tabaci Lin. in Bt Cotton Ecosystem
Sohail Ahmed1,*, Muhammad Waseem Saleem1, Abid Ali1, Muhammad Shahid Nisar2, Rashad Rasool Khan1 and Abdul Rashid3
ABSTRACT
In order to find out the integration of biocontrol agents with plant chemical and insecticide against Thrips tabaci L. (Thripidae: Thysanoptera), release of Coccinella septempunctata and Chrysoperla carnea, spray of Neem Seed Kernel Extract (NSKE) 5% and spinosad 240 SL (Tracer) were integrated in all possible combinations, thus, making a total of 15 treatments including separate application of each above and a control where none was applied except water only. Results showed significant difference amongst treatments (p <0.05). Application of spinosad alone and in combination with other control methods proved to be the most effective treatment. Releases of bio-agents viz., C. septempunctata and C. carnea resulted in 4.72 and 4.51 thrips leaf-1, respectively, and also did not differ significantly with each other. Application of bio-agents in combination was less effective with 4.37 thrips leaf-1 and differed significantly from all other treatments. Application of NKSE resulted in 4.00 thrips leaf-1 and found superior from those treatments where bio-agents were released alone and in combination. However, the highest yield was observed where all the control methods were integrated together showing 30.976 kg plot-1 seed cotton and it did not differ significantly in treatments where spinosad was present. The lowest seed cotton yield was recorded to be 23.393, 23.984 and 24.104 kg plot-1 in those plots (T1, T2 and T5) where only bio-agents were released and these three treatments did not show significant difference among them. On the basis of these interventions, the maximum cost benefit ratio was calculated to be 1: 15.19 in those plots of FH-118 where spinosad alone was sprayed. The minimum cost benefit ratio was recorded in T5, i.e. 1: 1.02 where both the biological agents were released together. Results have been discussed in the light of these cost benefit ratios, and concluded that deliberate use of predators may be expensive for the management of thrips on Bt cotton.
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October 2020
Vol. 52, Iss. 5, Pages 1631-2026
