MSc

Experiments were conducted in the Department of Agricultural
Entomology and in the Instructional Farm, College of Agriculture,
Vellayani during 2000-2001, to generate eco-friendly components in
developing a sustainable long term strategy of pest management against
coconut eriophyid mite.
The treatments included the laboratory screerung of various oils,
botanicals and synthetic acaricides. The promising treatments and
innovative farmer practices were evaluated in a field experiment.
The results of laboratory screening revealed that Neem oil three per
cent followed by Neemazal 0.4 per cent and castor oil three per cent were
promising among the botanicals while fenazaquin 0.05 per cent followed
by sulphur W.P 0.4 per cent were found to be effective among the synthetic
acaricides.
The field evaluation using promising natural products and synthetic
acaricides, showed that fenazaquin 0.05 per cent was effective followed by
sulphur W.P 0.4 per cent. Maximum protection was observed after the third
round of spraying. Sprays applied at the critical stage of infestation
afforded maximum protection to the bunches.


Results of the field evaluation experiment using natural products and
innovative farmer practices revealed that starch solution five per cent was
the most effective among the various treatments.