EFFICACY OF DIFFERENT GROUPS OF INSECTICIDES AGAINST COTTON STAINER (DYSDERCUS KOENIGII) IN FIELD CONDITIONS

A total of 18 insecticides belonging to organophosphate, carbamate, pyrethroid and neonicotinoid groups were evaluated for control of Dysdercus koenigii in cotton at the Central Cotton Research Institute, Multan, Pakistan during 2012. Experiments were conducted in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. Adults and nymphs of D. koenigii were collected from different locations of Multan District and reared in muslin cloth cages of 2.1m X 0.91m X 0.91m in field conditions. All insecticides were significantly different in relation to D. koenigii mortality than untreated control. Among the insecticides, alphacypermethrin 5EC (Pyrethroid) proved most effective and gave 100% pest mortality followed by deltamethrin 2.5EC (93.8%), cypermetrin 10EC (78.7%) and lambdacyhalothrin 2.5EC (70%) 24 hours after treatment. While, dimathoate 40EC, chlorfenapyr 360SC and malathion 57EC proved least effective and gave less than 33% pest mortality. After 72 hours of the treatment, most of the insecticides gave 100% pest mortality except bifenthrin 10EC, chlorfenapyr 360SC, thiacloprid 48SC, malathion 57EC, gammacyhalothrin 60CS, acetamiprid 20SP, thiamethoxam 70WG and thiacloprid 48SC. Among the insecticidal groups, pyrethroids proved most effective followed by carbamates, neo-nicotinoids and organophosphates after 24 hours of application while, after 72 hours, carbamates gave maximum pest mortality followed by organophosphates, pyrethroids and neo-nicotinoids.