Management of Whitefly the Vector of Cotton Leaf Curl Disease through Synthetic Insecticide

Abstract

Cotton crop is cultivated throughout the world and contribute the vital role in economy of many countries.  As several as types of insect pests have been attacked on cotton crop among them cotton whitefly Bemisia tabaci cause huge losses by suck the cell sap of leaves and reduce the yield every year, in addition to transmit the cotton leaf curl diseases (CLCuD). Selective insecticides are the dire need to control the cotton whitefly, because of their target oriented and immediate knockdown effect. Farmers still depend on old chemistry-based insecticides for controlling this pest which is not work properly. Therefore, field experiment was performed with randomized complete block design RCBD with triplicate was carried out at the Village Khair Muhammad Dasti District Naushehro Feroze during 2024 to determine the effectiveness of novel insecticides against cotton whiteflies. The cotton SS-32 variety was sprayed with different synthetic insecticides for whitefly control. Results showed the after first spray overall average of various time intervals that maximum mortality % was recorded from the plots which treated with Polo insecticide such as (77.51±08.09%) followed by Ulala (69.42±10.53%) and Oberon (64.78±09.10) and Lano (57.21±08.16%) respectively. However, after the application of second spray highest mortality % was recorded from the plots which treated with Polo such as (73.70±09.45%) followed by followed by Ulala insecticide (66.39±07.34%) and Oberon insecticide (62.99±10.05) and Lano (59.41±08.25%) respectively. Further, cotton leaf curl diseases (CLCuD) % of incidence were recorded at different days after sowing (DAS) and data revealed that overall seasonal the lowest CLCuD % incidence was observed (12.68 %) from the plots where Polo insecticide was treated followed by Ulala (16.73%), Oberon (17.47%), Lano (18.79%) and control untreated plot (25.53%), respectively. Further, yield of cotton after the applications of different insecticides was recorded and maximum yield was obtained from the plots which traded with Polo insecticide such as (853.0 kg/acre) followed by Ulala insecticide (824.0 kg/acre), Lano (809.00 kg/acre) and Oberon insecticide (724.0 kg/acre) and Control untreated plot (675.0), respectively. Based on the results, it is suggested that Polo synthetic insecticide product should be sprayed on cotton crop under field condition to manage cotton whiteflies for the less crop infestation and better yield production.

Keywords: Cotton, Cotton Leaf Curl Disease Management, Insecticide.