EVALUATION OF DIFFERENT MANAGEMENT PRACTICES FOR SUPPRESSING WHITEFLY, BEMISIA TABACI (GENNADIUS) (HEMIPTERA: ALEYRODIDAE) ON TOMATO

Abstract

An investigation was conducted to evaluate different management practices for the suppression of whitefly (Bemisiatabaci) (Genn.), a major pest of tomato at the Research & Development farm of A.R. Malik & Co. (Pvt.) Ltd., Prannagar, Birgonj, Dinajpur during the period of September 2015 to January 2016. Eight treatments viz net house, Admire 200 SL, Dursban 20 EC, Corolux 25 EC, neem seed kernel extract, neem oil, yellow sticky trap and untreated control were maintained. Management practices were done in randomized complete block design at different stages viz. vegetative, flowering, fruiting and fruit ripening stages of tomato. The results of the present study revealed that, the number of whitefly were increased up to flowering stage and after that decreased gradually whereas the maximum number of fly was found in flowering stage. Among the treatments the minimum numbers of fly were found in net house treatment while the maximum were in untreated control. Incidence of tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) at different growth stages of tomato differed significantly among the treatments and increasing trend was found from vegetative to fruit ripening stage. The highest percent of TYLCV infected plant was recorded in untreated control while the lowest in net house at all the stages. TYLCV infected plants were the highest (94.73%) in net house while the lowest in of neem oil (39.48 %) and yellow sticky trap (39.48 %) over control. Fruits per plot at different stages were significantly different in various treatments. The percent fruit by number and by weight (kg) were the highest in net house (41.78 ± 0.28 and 44.69 ± 1.14) but the lowest in untreated control (35.85 ± 1.29 and 37.71 ± 1.28), respectively. The percent healthy fruit by number and by weight (kg) were recorded highest (95.01 ± 0.99 and 60.63 ± 0.81) in net house and the lowest (89.80 ± 0.41 and 63.10 ± 3.43) in untreated control, respectively. Similarly, the lowest percent deformed fruit by number and by weight (kg) were found in net house (4.99 ± 0.99 and 10.20 ± 0.41) while the highest in untreated control (39.37 ± 0.81 and 36.90 ± 3.43), respectively. The yield (ton/ha) of tomato was the highest in net house (108.7 ± 4.98) and lowest in untreated control (41.55 ± 1.04) at all stages. Percent increase of yield over control was follow the trend as net house > Admire 200SL > Dursban 20EC > Corolux 25EC > neem seed kernel extract > neem oil > yellow sticky trap. The findings of the present study may help in properly management the whitefly on tomato.