COMPARING THE EFFECT OF DIFFERENT PLANT EXTRACTS WITH A CHEMICAL INSECTICIDE FOR MANAGEMENT OF THE APHID, Aphis gossypii IN SUNFLOWER

A field experiment was carried out at New Developmental Farm (NDF), The University of Agriculture Peshawar, (34.01° N, 71.53° E) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa-Pakistan during 2012-13 to compare the effect of different plant extracts with a chemical insecticide for management of the aphids in sunflower. The sunflower hybrid Hysun-33 was sown as test crop under natural field conditions. Six different plant extracts viz, Azadirachta indica oil, A. indica seed, Parthenium hysterophorus, Allium sativum, Datura alba, Curcuma longa along with chemical insecticide, Emamectin benzoate 1.9EC and un-treated check plot were tested against aphids infestation on sunflower. Data on mean population density of aphids were recorded on per leaf basis 24h before and then 24h, 48h, 72h and 168h after application of first and second spray. The results on the present study revealed that extract derived from the leaves of D. alba was the most successful treatment in term of population reduction of aphids after chemical insecticide Emamectin benzoate. In the remaining treatments, 2% oil of A. indica and 2.5% extract of A. indica seed also exhibited better results in comparison with other botanicals and un-treated control plot. It was found that 2.5% extract of C. longa, Parthenium and Al. sativum treatments did not produce encouraging results in suppressing aphid infestation, however, proved their supremacy over control plot.