A field study investigating the insecticidal efficacy against Diaphorina citri Kuwayama on Kinnow mandarin, Citrus reticulata Blanco trees

Javaid Iqbal; Hafiz Nazeer Hussain; Muhammad Latif; Mirza Barjees Baig; Ayman A Owayss; Hael S Raweh; Abdulaziz S Alqarni

doi:10.1016/j.sjbs.2020.02.006

A field study investigating the insecticidal efficacy against Diaphorina citri Kuwayama on Kinnow mandarin, Citrus reticulata Blanco trees

Saudi J Biol Sci. 2020 May;27(5):1237-1241. doi: 10.1016/j.sjbs.2020.02.006. Epub 2020 Feb 13.

Authors

Javaid Iqbal^{1

2}, Hafiz Nazeer Hussain², Muhammad Latif³, Mirza Barjees Baig⁴, Ayman A Owayss¹, Hael S Raweh¹, Abdulaziz S Alqarni¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Plant Protection, College of Food and Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
² Department of Entomology, University College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Pakistan.
³ Entomological Research Institute, Ayub Agricultural Research Institute, Faisalabad, Pakistan.
⁴ Department of Agricultural Extension and Rural Society, College of Food and Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Abstract

Asian citrus psyllid is a most damaging insect pest of citrus. In this field study, the efficacy of seven insecticides (emamectin benzoate, bifenthrin, chlorfenapyr, fipronil, imidacloprid, pyriproxyfen and thiamethoxam) was evaluated against Diaphorina citri Kuwayama in the citrus orchard of Kinnow mandarin, Citrus reticulata Blanco. The insecticides revealed a differential and substantial relative efficacy against D. citri compared to the untreated plants. The insecticidal effect attributed as percent reduction in insect population was more prominent after three days of spray: highest reduction values were recorded with thiamethoxam (50.89%), imidacloprid (44.27%) and bifenthrin (42.94%) after first spray, and thiamethoxam (83.36%), imidacloprid (73.20%) and bifenthrin (72.66%) after second spray. Thus, neonicotinoids (thiamethoxam and imidacloprid) and pyrethroid (bifenthrin) resulted as highly effective against D. citri at three days after both sprays. At seven days, imidacloprid (63.53%) and fipronil (62.47%) presented relatively higher population reduction after first spray, and thiamethoxam (92.66%) and chlorfenapyr (89.59%) after second spray. At 12 days, the insecticidal effect on insect population became significantly at par after each spray except chlorfenapyr that reflected high population reduction (93.17%) only after second spray. It is also obvious from the data that there is need of regular monitoring to suppress the psyllids population below threshold level by timely application of the second insecticidal spray.

Keywords: Asian citrus psyllid; Citrus; Efficacy; Insecticides; Population reduction.