Evaluation of Biorational Compounds for the Management of Insect and Mite Pests of Jasmine, <i>Jasminum sambac</i> (Linn.)

Jasmine is an important flowering shrub that is attacked by a variety of insects and mites. The efficacy of different biorational pesticides was evaluated against major pests of jasmine under field conditions in the Tiruchirappalli district of Tamil Nadu, India. The treatments include microbials, botanicals and chemical pesticides. The major insect pests viz., budworm Hendecasis duplifascialis (Hampson), blossom midge, Contarinia maculipennis (Felt) and red spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch were recorded during the period and the effect of biorational insecticides was evaluated. Results revealed that Chlorantraniliprole @ 18.5 SC was effective against bud borers, budworms and blossom midge with 79.72 and 70.04 per cent reduction over control. Red spider mite was effectively managed by Fenazaquin @ 10 EC with an 80.51 per cent reduction over control. Among the microbial, B. bassiana was observed to have better control than L. lecanii against budworms. The mean damage recorded in B. bassiana and L. lecanii treated plots were 8.42 and 9.09 per cent, respectively. In Bacillus thuringiensis sp. kurstaki treated plots, a 64.28 per cent reduction was noticed. Botanicals were found more effective against red spider mites than microbials. NSKE 5 % and Pungam oil 3% recorded 63.75 and 56.50 per cent reductions, whereas B. bassiana and L. lecanii recorded with 48.64 and 45.59 per cent reduction of mite population. These biorational pesticides can be used as alternatives for chemical insecticides in the integrated pest management of jasmine ecosystems.