Use of essential oils & botanicals for the management of insect pests of vegetables (Ongoing)

1. Essential oils  were found effective in reducing thrips (Thrips rtabaci) in onion, capsicum and DBM in cabbage. Among essential oils, Basil (Tulsi) and mint were found highly promising.
2. E.C. Formulations of  Basil and Mint  were developed and were found effective in reducing thrips (Scirtothrips dorasalis) in polyhouse conditions.  Sprays of Neem seed powder extract, neem soap and petrol extract of oiled neem cake  were also found effective in reducing thrips under polyhouse conditions
3. In Okra sprays of  pulverized neem seed powder extract (NSPE), Neem soap (NS) given at 7 days interval from 10 days after germination  followed by only one spray of imidacloprid at 15 Days after  germination were found effective in reducing leaf hopper, borer and increasing yield
4. Sprays of neem seed powder and neem soap were found to be effective on onion thrips and can be used as alternatives to synthetic insecticides in onion.
5. Formulation of neem seed powder for spray and neem cake for soil application were developed.  These are being short listed for further evaluation.

Publications.

1. Krishna Moorthy, P.N. , K. Shivaramu, N. K. Krishna Kumar, H. R. Ranganath and S. Saroja. 2013. Comparative Efficacy of Neem Products, Essential oils and Synthetic Insecticides in  the Management of Onion Thrips (Thrips tabaci Lindeman). Pest Management in Horticultural Ecosystems. (in Press)
2. Prasnnakumar, N.R. Krishna Moorthy, P.N. and S. Saroja. 2013. Use of botanicals on major insect pests of cabbage (Brasica oleracea) var. Capitata). Pest Management in Horticultural Ecosystems. (in Press).
3. Krishna Moorthy, P.N. K. Shivaramu and S. Saroja. 2012.  Use of Botanicals and Essential oils for the Management of insect pests in capsicum and onion. Paper presented in IV National Symposium min Plant protection in Horticultural crops held at Bangalore (April 24-28, 2012). P. 88