Impact of Pesticidal Spray on Seasonal Availability of Natural Predators and Parasitoides in the Tea Ecosystem

D. C. Sharma; N. P. Kashyap

doi:10.18311/jbc/2002/4010

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Authors

D. C. Sharma
Department of Entomology, CSK Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishvavidyalaya, Palampur 176 062, H. P. ,IN
N. P. Kashyap
Department of Entomology, CSK Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishvavidyalaya, Palampur 176 062, H. P. ,IN

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18311/jbc/2002/4010

Keywords:

Insect-Pests, Pesticidal Effects, Predators, Parasitoids, Predation Potential, Tea Ecosystem.

Abstract

Tea plant (Camellia sinensis (L.) O' Kuntze) is attacked by numerous insect pests, which causes considerable damage to the quality and quantity of tea. The most important pest attacking tea bushes in H. P. are purple mite, Calacarus carinatus (Green), thrips, Scirtothrips dorsalis Hood, leafroiier, Gracilaria theivora, Walsom, apbid, Toxoptera aurantii Boyer, mealybug, Nipaecoecus sp. and leafminer, Tropiomyts theae (Cotes). The important natural enemies associated in the tea orchards are Syrphis sp., Coccincella septempunctata Linn., Oxyopes sp. and parasitoid, Diaeretiella sp. Among the insecticides and biopesticides evaluated against natural enemies, deltamethrin, cypermethrin and ethion sprays were found highly toxic to Syrphis sp. and C. septempunctuata and their adult and larval population was not seen even on 7^th and 4^th days of spray, respectively. Neemark, Achook and B.t. (Dipel 8L) were quite safe to natural enemies. Endosulfan was relatively safe to Syrphis sp. but highly toxic to C. septempunctata.