Efficacy of Biorationals for the Management of Invasive Thrips, Thrips parvispinus (Karny) under Semi Field Conditions

The present study was conducted during Rabi, 2023, in the pot culture yard of the Department of Entomology, Annamalai University, Chidambaram, to evaluate the bio-efficacy of five different biorationals against the invasive thrips, Thrips parvispinus (Karny). The experiment employed a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with eight treatments, including an untreated control and an absolute control, replicated five times. The efficacy of biorationals was assessed at 1, 3, 5, 7, and 14 days after application. All treatments significantly outperformed the control. Among the tested biorationals, five-leaf extracts (5%) and a combination of ginger, garlic, and green chili extracts (3%) demonstrated the highest efficacy, with the maximum thrips mortality percentage (61.21% and 60.97%, respectively). These were followed by herbal insect repellent (3%) and azadirachtin (1500 ppm). The least effective treatment was turmeric powder + lime extract (5%), which recorded a minimum mortality rate of 44.29%. The findings suggest that these eco-friendly biorationals could be potential alternatives to synthetic insecticides for managing T. parvispinus, emphasizing their role in sustainable pest management practices.