COMPARATIVE EFFICACY OF SYNTHETIC INSECTICIDES ON MANGO HOPPER COMPLEX

Mango production in Bangladesh is enormously affected due to the infestation of mango hopper Amritodus atkinsoni, a sucking insect belong to the family Cicadellidae under the order Hemiptera. Management of hopper in Bangladesh is purely based on different classes of synthetic insecticides. In the present study, four insecticides, namely Desis 2.5 EC (Deltamethrin), Ripcord 10 EC (Cypermethrin), Relothrin 10 EC (Cypermethrin), and Sumithion 50 EC (Fenitrothion) were evaluated against mango hopper infestation, fruit setting performance and assessed the effect of the insecticides on the abundances of natural enemies in mango orchard. The insecticides were applied four times maintaining recommended doses and 7-day intervals during the flowering period. A significant reduction of hopper population was observed in the treated mango plants compared to untreated control plants. Desis 2.5 EC and Sumithion 50 EC performed better than that of control and other tested insecticides considering the abundances of hopper populations as well as fruit settings. The applied insecticides had negative impact on the abundances of natural enemies. Decis 2.5 EC and Sumithion 50 EC were found comparatively safe than that of Relotrhin 10 EC and Ripcord 10 EC regarding the abundances of ladybird beetle, spider and wasp populations.