IPM for rice fallow cotton

COTTON GOSSYPIUM and rainfed crop in the districts of Tamil Nadu. The crop is subjected to attack by a number of insect pests. Introduction of the high yielding varieties and indiscriminate type of hybrids brought to the locality or village resulted in ecological succession of the cotton pests. It increased the magnitude of the pest problem in the cotton agro- ecosystem.

To meet the increasing competition from synthetic fibre and also challenges constantly posed by the insect pests the farmers are forced to depend heavily on hazardous insecticides. An integrated method of managing the pests on cotton crop viz., selection of pest resistant varieties to the tract, cultural, mechanical, behavioural biological and chemical control is to be followed to get a good yield. The integrated pest management (IPM) methods to solve the rice fallow cotton crop is as follows:

* Pest resistant resistant cotton varieties:

The cotton varieties suitable for the tract which are resistant to the pest is to be selected viz., the aphid resistant variety, ADT-1 (Aduthurai - 1) or Jassid resistant variety SVPR 3 (Srivilliputhur - 3) or MCU 7 moderately resistant to aphids.

* Cultural management:

Delint the seeds with dilute sulphuric acid at 100 ml/kg of seed. The delinted seeds are treated with, carbendazim at 2g/kg of seed. Then treat with azospirillum at three packets (600g)/ha. Sow these seeds in the ideal situation of waxy moist soil which exists during second fortnight of January. Synchornised sowing with single variety to the tract or village is to be adopted. Timely earthing up and hoeing hoeing, application of recommended dose of fertilizers, proper and timely irrigation are to be followed.

* Mechanical management:

Use of light traps to monitor the intial broods of the pests that will damage the crop viz., Prodenia and Helicoverpa. Placement of yellow sticky traps 20-25/ ha in cotton crop attracts the adult white flies Bemisia tabaci and helps to monitor the initial population.

* Behavioural management:

The sex pheromone traps at 12/ha will be helpful to monitor the activity of the pests viz., Prodenia, Spodoptera , and American boll worm, Helicoverpa armigera synchornise the pesticide application.

* Biological management:

The specific pest viz., prodenia, Spodoptera in the young larval stages can be checked by the spray of the biological pathogen NPV - Nuclear polyhedral virus at 250 L.E./ha. Spray Helicoverpa specific NPV at 500 LE/ha during evening hours at 7th and 12th week after sowing. Release of Trichogramma at 6.25 cc/ha at 15 days intervals thrice and on 45 days egg - larval parasitoid, Chilonus blackburnii and the predator Chrysoperla at 1,00,000 at 6,13 and 14 week after sowing.

* Chemical Management:

The pests that occur in the rice fallow cotton crop are to be checked by suitable insecticidal sprays when they cross the economic threshold level (ETL).

N. Raju, S. Sadakathulla & S. Ramanathan

Tamil Nadu Rice Research Institute,

Aduthurai-612101

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