Impact of Integrated Approaches on Chilli Black Thrips (Scirtothrips dorsalis Hood, 1919) Suppression and (Capsicum annuum L.) Yield Across Telangana State

The experiment was conducted during the rabi seasons (October–February) of 2022–2024 in the districts of Warangal, Hanamkonda, Mulugu, and Jayashankar Bhupalpally of Telangana State to evaluate the efficacy of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) against black thrips (Scirtothrips dorsalis Hood, 1919) in chilli (Capsicum annuum L.). Black thrips are a major pest limiting chilli productivity, and conventional farming practices often provide sub-optimal control and economic returns. The IPM package combined black plastic mulching, neem oil (10,000 ppm, 1 ml l-1), Beauveria bassiana, & Lecanicillium lecanii at 5 g l-1, and selective chemical insecticides (Spinosad and Thiacloprid) applied at 15-day intervals starting 30 days after transplanting, totaling three sprays per season. A total of 100 farmers (25 per district) participated, and results were compared with conventional Farmer Practice (FP). Across three years, IPM significantly reduced thrips populations by 45–50% and increased yield by 24–26%, while economic analysis revealed higher net returns and B:C ratios (2.72–2.90) compared to FP (1.75–1.83). Technology gaps ranged from 0.6–2.1 t ha-1, extension gaps from 2.8–4.5 t ha-1, and yield gaps from 24.3–27.9%, indicating untapped potential under conventional practices. Mulugu and Hanamkonda approached near-optimal yields, whereas Warangal and Jayashankar Bhupalpally require targeted extension and localized IPM optimization. IPM effectively suppressed thrips, increased chilli yields by 19–33%, and nearly doubled profitability. IPM proved a sustainable, cost-efficient, climate-smart strategy, narrowing yield gaps and enhancing productivity across districts.