INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT OF THRIPS ON CHILLI PLANTATIONS THROUGH INTERCROPPING WITH CLUSTER BEAN

Chilli (Capsicum annuum L.), a key tropical and subtropical crop in India, is valued as a versatile spice and vegetable.Thrips, a major pest of chilli, can cause severe damage, resulting in yield losses of 50-90%.This study aimed to evaluate the best integrated pest management (IPM) practices to identify the most effective strategy for controlling thrips in chilli crops.Field experiments were conducted in Thondamanatham village, Cuddalore district, using a randomized block design with four treatment modules, including an untreated check, each replicated seven times with the TNAU hybrid chilli CO 1. Results showed that intercropping chilli with cluster bean (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba (L.).Taub.) (IPM Module 1) resulted in the lowest thrips population and the highest green chilli yield, with a benefit-cost (BC) ratio of 2.51.This module also maintained a well-distributed population of natural predators, including spiders, coccinellids, and chrysopids, ensuring ecological balance.These findings demonstrate that IPM Module 1 effectively combines pest suppression with ecological sustainability, making it a practical and eco-friendly approach for chilli farmers.