Bio-efficacy of bifenthrin 8 SC against shoot and fruit borer and red spidermite of okra, Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench

A field study was conducted to evaluate the relative bio-efficacy of bifenthrin 8 SC @60g, 80g, 100g,120g, 140g a.i./ha against shoot and fruit borer and red spider mite of okra, Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench cv. OH -152 at the Central Research Farm of BCKV, Nadia, West Bengal, for two consecutive seasons. Cypermethrin10 EC @70g a.i./ha and dicofol 18.5 EC @500g a.i./ha were used as standard treated check in the experiment. Population of beneficial insects like spider, predatory mites and Braconid parasitoid were also recorded during the time of observation on pests’ infestation. Among treatments, bifenthrin 8 SC @ 100 to 140g a.i./ha was found significantly(p?0.05) superior over treated check cypermethrin 10 EC @ 70g a.i./ha and dicofol 18.5 EC @ 500g a.i./ha tobring down Earias vittella and red spider mite (Tetranychus urticae) population, respectively, on okra. Bifenthrin 8SC @ 140g a.i./ha recorded maximum fruit yield (82.3 q/ha during kharif 2012 and 53.1q/ha during rabi 2012-13) ofokra. Also, foliar application of bifenthrin 8 SC did not reveal any significant (p?0.05) adverse effect on population of spider, predatory mite and Braconid parasitoid in okra crop ecosystem. These findings will facilitate the selection of bifenthrin 8 SC as an effective acaro-insecticides for effective control of shoot and fruit borer and red spider mite of okra.