Performance of spinetoram SC against thrips and leaf miners infesting watermelon crop

Bioefficacy of Spinetoram 11.7% SC @45 g a.i./ha, 54 g a.i./ha, 63 g a.i./ha along with the market standards Cyantraniliprole 10.26% OD @90 g a.i./ha and Fipronil 05% SC @50 g a.i./ha were evaluated against Thrips palmi and Liriomyza trifolii on watermelon during Rabi 2023-24 at SVB CARS, Marra, Durg. Pre-and post-treatment pest populations were recorded to assess effectiveness. For Liriomyza trifolii, among all the treatments, (T3) Spinetoram 11.7% SC @63 g a.i./ha was found most effective insecticide, which recorded highest percentage of 42.93% reduction in leaf infestation with overall minimum leaf damage of 19.16% after two sprays. The next best treatment was Spinetoram 11.7% SC @54 g a.i./ha (T2) which recorded 19.77% mean leaf infestation with 41.10% reductions in leaf damage and maximum leaf damage 19.45% was recorded in Fipronil 05% SC @50 g a.i./ha (T5) with 17.96% reduction. In case of of T. palmi, the overall lowest mean population of 2.30 thrips/leaf was noticed in the T3 which was Spinetoram 11.7% SC @63 g a.i./ha followed by Spinetoram 11.7% SC @54 g a.i./ha (T2) with 2.37 thrips/leaf and maximum population of 6.45 thrips/leaf was found in T5 i.e. Fipronil5%SC @50 g a.i./ha after two sprays. Similarly, the highest per cent reduction of 91.14% thrips population was recorded in T3 which was Spinetoram 11.7% SC @63 g a.i./ha followed by Spinetoram 11.7% SC @54 g a.i./ha (T2) with 90.87% and lowest reduction of 75.15% thrips found in Fipronil5%SC @50 g a.i./ha (T5). The maximum yield of 20.15 t/ha was obtained in Spinetoram 11.7% SC @63 g a.i./ha which was found significantly superior over all other insecticidal treatments. This establishes the supremacy of Spinetoram 11.7% SC in the effective management of both the pests on watermelon.