Management of Tuberose Mealybug (Dysmicoccus neobrevipes Beardsley) through Sequential Application of Insecticides

AbstractThe mealybug, Dysmicoccus neobrevipes (Beardsley), is a major pest of tuberose (Polianthes tuberosa L.), causing severe yield and quality losses. The present study evaluated the efficacy of sequential insecticide applications for mealybug suppression under field conditions. A common sequence of bulb treatment with thiamethoxam 30 FS @ 7 ml/L at planting and imidacloprid 17.5% SL @ 1 ml/L as drenching at 30 days after emergence was followed by three foliar sprays of different insecticides. Among the treatments, sulfoxaflor 21.8% SC @ 0.75 ml/L was the most effective, recording the lowest mealybug incidence with a pooled reduction over control (ROC) of (84.47%). Spirotetramat (79.07%) and buprofezin (74.02%) were statistically on par, while chlorpyriphos (66.17%) and dimethoate (56.62%) provided moderate suppression. Biological (Lecanicillium lecanii) with ROC of 49.63 per cent and botanical azadirachtin with ROC of (45.91%) treatments showed comparatively lower efficacy. Untreated plots recorded steadily increasing infestation (31–35%). These findings suggest that sequential applications of sulfoxaflor, spirotetramat, and buprofezin provide reliable control of D. neobrevipes in tuberose and can form a core component of an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program.