EFFICACY OF DIFFERENT IPM TOOL AGAINST PYRILLA PERPUSILLA UNDER LABORATORY AND FIELD CONDITIONS

Abstract

Sugarcane is among the chief cash crops and sole sugar crop in Pakistan. Burgeoning population has increased the sugar demand that needs more sugarcane yields. The attack of insect’s pests is one of the reasons that creates a grave hurdle to enhance the yields. Pyrilla perpusilla is one of the major insects of sugarcane that needs management to achieve the goal. This study was planned to minimize the threat of P. perpusilla by utilizing different control tools i.e., cultural, bioagents (E. melanoleuca), botanical extracts (Neem, Sophora and Tobacco) and synthetic chemicals (Acetamiprid) in laboratory and field. During lab experiment when the E. melanuleuca was tested against the different life stages of P. perpusilla, which result showed that the younger nymphs had significantly higher nymphal mortality, which decreased as the host grew older. When the parasitoid was introduced to the first stage host nymphs, they died completely. However, nymphal death rates were 95.52, 78.55, 41.04, and 40.44 percent in the second, third, fourth, and fifth nymphal stages, respectively. Furthermore, in the latter phases, the survival of surviving nymphs was greatly extended. None of the parasitized nymphs in the first to fourth stages grew up to be normal adults. Although 18.0% of parasitized fifth nymphal stage adults were normal, their lifespan was much shorter than that of their un-parasitized counterparts. When male and female leafhopper adults were fed to the parasitoid, mortality of parasitized and non-parasitized individuals was found to be significantly different in both sexes. There was also a parasitoid-induced increase in the longevity of the parasitized adults who survived. In laboratory when P. perpusilla was treated with botanical extracts and acetamiprid for 24 hours. Acetamiprid killed all the insects. Among the botanical extracts, Sophora extract resulted in maximum mortality than Neem and Tobacco. When same spraying of chemical and botanical extracts was performed on the insects in the field, the chemical (Acetamiprid) resulted in highest mortality percentage followed by Saphora, Neem and Tobacco after 15 days of spray. The best performing botanical extract was used in combination with biological and cultural control comparing with other practices. The combination of cultural and biological practices with Saphora extract and Acetamiprid separately performed statistically better than all other combinations in declining pest population and enhancing cane yield. These findings depicts that the control of P. perpusilla at initial stage with the use of E. melanoleuca results in declining the population while the use of eco-friendly botanical extracts for the control of insects at field level is a better management approach. These findings are recommended to incorporate in future IPM programs.