Evaluation of synthetics and eco-friendly pesticides against yellow mite, Polyphagotarnemus latus (Banks) (Acari: Tarsonemidae)

Abstract The efficacy of synthetic and eco-friendly pesticides against the yellow mite, Polyphagotarsonemus latus (Banks) (Acari: Tarsonemidae), was evaluated during 2023–24 at the Department of Agricultural Entomology, College of Agriculture, Gandhi Krishi Vignana Kendra, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru. Two field experiments were conducted at Hittalahalli, Chikkaballapura district, using two foliar sprays at 15-day intervals. Mite populations [eggs and active stages (nymphs+adults)] were recorded from the three shoot tips per plant viz., first to fifth leaves at 3, 7, 10, and 15 days after treatment. In the first experiment, cyenopyrafen 30SC at 0.5 mL/L proved most effective, recording the lowest mean mite population (4.11 mites/leaf) after the first spray, followed by spiromesifen 22.9SC at 0.8 mL/L (8.39 mites/leaf) and pyridaben 20WP at 0.8 g/L (10.05 mites/leaf), with no significant differences among them. After the second spray, cyenopyrafen 30SC maintained the lowest pooled mean population (3.01 mites/leaf), corresponding to a 94.33% reduction over control. In second experiment, pyridaben 20WP, spiromesifen 22.9SC, and cyenopyrafen 30SC showed comparable efficacy, reducing mite populations to 16.23, 20.65, and 21.39 mites/leaf, respectively, after the first spray. The second spray resulted in significantly lower populations with pyridaben 20WP (12.17 mites/leaf), spiromesifen 22.9SC (12.40 mites/leaf), and cyenopyrafen 30SC (12.42 mites/leaf), corresponding to 80.12, 79.74, and 79.11% reduction over control, respectively. Overall, cyenopyrafen, spiromesifen, and pyridaben were the most effective pesticides for managing P. latus on mulberry under field conditions.