Selvapriya V. and Ayyasamy Regupathy
Abstract
Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L. Moench), belongs to Malvaceae family, is a significant annual vegetable crop that is cultivated throughout the year in India. The cultivation of okra faces various challenges, particularly due to pest invasions. Aphids and leaf hoppers are examples of sucking pests can be particularly harmful, causing crop losses ranging from 23 to 54 per cent. The cotton aphid, Aphis gossypii Glover (Hemiptera: Aphididae), targets young okra plants, resulting in stunted growth, wilting, and in severe cases, the death of the plants, which leads to considerable economic losses. Different pests can be suppressed with alternative non-chemical pest management techniques, such as potassium salts of fatty acids or soap salts. Potassium salts of fatty acids have shown successful results in managing aphids, whiteflies, scales, and mealybugs, demonstrating high effectiveness against most soft-bodied insect pests. Several laboratory bioassays were conducted to assess the effectiveness of Potassium Salts of Fatty Acids 49 SL at various concentrations along with two Standard checks viz., Azadirachtin 05.00 w/w Min. Neem Extract Concentrates @ 0.5 ml/l and Imidacloprid 17.80 SL @ 0.25 ml/l against Aphis gossypii. Our results indicated that in leaf dip, Potassium Salts of Fatty Acids 49 SL @ 15 and 18.75 ml/l resulted in 100 per cent mortality after 72 hrs of exposure which was on par with Standard checks-1 & 2. In Slide dip and Residual film, 100 per cent mortality was recorded at 24 HAT which was on par with Standard checks- 2.