Mealybug management in elephant foot yam corms during storage

Authors

  • M. Nedunchezhiyan
  • Kalidas Pati
  • V.B.S. Chauhan
  • K.H. Gowda
  • R. Arutselvan
  • J. Suresh Kumar
  • E.R. Harish
  • S. Sunitha

Abstract

In India, mealybug (Rhizoecus amorphophalli Betrem) is big menace during storage of elephant foot yamcorms and threatening elephant foot yam cultivation. A storage study was conducted to find out theeffects of various treatments on mealybug infestation on elephant foot yam corms during 2022 and2023 at the Regional Centre of ICAR-Central Tuber Crops Research Institute, Bhubaneswar, Odishaunder AICRPTC. The treatment consists of : Imidacloprid 17.8 SL (0.6 ml l-1) (T1), Thiamethoxam 25WG (0.6 g l-1) (T2), Salt (NaCl) solution @ 1000 ppm (T3), Neem oil:soap mixture @ (10:4) ml l-1followed by Neem oil @ 15 ml L-1 after one week (T4), 1:1 combination of neem oil:soap mixture @(10:4) ml l-1: Imidacloprid 17.8 SL (0.6 ml l-1) (T5), Cowdung slurry (2 kg l-1) (T6) and Control (T7).The experiment was conducted in a randomized block design with three replications. During the year2022, mealybug field infested corms were used for the study, whereas, during the year 2023, mealybugfield infestation was not found, hence, uninfested corms were used. The results revealed that duringthe year 2022 at 3 months after storage, the treatment cowdung slurry (T6) was found very effectivein minimizing the mealybug numbers on the corms followed by the application of 1:1 combination ofneem oil : soap mixture @ (10:4) ml l-1: Imidacloprid 17.8 SL (0.6 ml l-1) (T5). Maximum numberof mealybug was found in the corms of control treatment (T7). During the year 2023, no mealybuginfestation was found in any of the treatments up to 2 months storage. However, at 3 months ofterstorage, mealybug infestation was noticed in control (T7) and application of salt (NaCl) solution @1000 ppm (T3) treatments. Sprouting percentage 3 months after storage revealed that during the year2022, the highest sprouting (96%) was noticed in cowdung slurry (T6) treatment followed by theapplication of 1:1 combination of neem oil : soap mixture @ (10:4) ml l-1: Imidacloprid 17.8 SL (0.6ml l-1) (T5) (92%). In control treatment (T7) only 10% sprouting was observed. During the year 2023,100% sprouting was registered in all the treatments. Thus, mealybugs appearance and infestation aredepending upon the prevailing climate and its damaging effect is depends on duration of the infestation.Keywords: Cowdung slurry, Elephant foot yam, Mealybug, Sprouting

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Published

2024-05-09

How to Cite

M. Nedunchezhiyan, Kalidas Pati, V.B.S. Chauhan, K.H. Gowda, R. Arutselvan, J. Suresh Kumar, E.R. Harish, & S. Sunitha. (2024). Mealybug management in elephant foot yam corms during storage. JOURNAL OF ROOT CROPS, 49(1), 46–49. Retrieved from https://ojs338.isrc.in/index.php/jrc/article/view/642

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