Evaluation of Efficacy of Dual-Active Molecule Abamectin 1.9 % EC for Management of Thrips and Mites in Mulberry

Abstract

Sustainable mulberry production requires effective suppression of pest that compromise with leaf quality and yield. Under prolonged dry weather conditions, thrips and mites occur simultaneously, leading to leaf damage in mulberry ecosystems. Sequential application of separate pesticides may increase input costs and operational complexity. Hence, a single formulation exhibiting both insecticidal and acaricidal activity offers a practical alternative for simultaneous pest management. In this context the present investigation was undertaken to evaluate the efficacy of abamectin 1.9 % EC against thrips and mites in mulberry. Abamectin 1.9 % EC was found to be highly effective in reducing the population of both thrips and mites. The maximum reduction in thrips population was observed in treated plots, recording 0.16, 0.07, 0.06, 0.53 and 0.67 thrips per leaf during January-February, 2024 and 0.37, 0.33, 0.27, 0.43 and 0.56 thrips per leaf during March–April 2024. Similarly, the mite population was significantly lower in abamectin treated plots with counts of 0.27, 0.20, 0.17, 0.30 and 0.36 mites per 2 cm² during January-February, 2024 and 0.13, 0.20, 0.23, 0.36 and 0.43 mites per 2 cm² during march- April, 2024 in the subsequent crop on 1st, 3rd, 5th, 8th and 15th DAS. Treatment with abamectin 1.9 % EC also resulted in improved growth parameters, recording the highest leaf area (160.61 and 158.08 cm²) and leaf yield (58,754.20)  57,956.52 kg/ha/yr) at 60 days after pruning during both cropping seasons.