Synergistic effect of insecticide-botanical mixtures on citrus leaf miner, Phyllocnistis citrella stainton Jayanthi P.D. Kamala, Verghese Abraham Division of Entomology and Nematology, Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Hesseraghatta Lake P O, Bangalore, 560089, India Abstract Efficacy of neem seed kernel extract individually and in combination with synthetic pyrethroid, cypermethrin in different ratios (half the recommended dose and standard full dose) were evaluated experimentally on citrus leaf miner, Phyllocnistis citrella Stainton on acid lime (Citrus aurantifolia (Christon) Swing) during 2002–2003 at Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bangalore, India. Observations were made on the number of live mines, dead mines, adult emergence and leaf damage. The results clearly showed that the combination treatment viz., neem seed kernel extract 4%+ cypermethrin 0.5 ml/l (full dose) was found to be the best combination to manage P citrella infestation with minimum leaf damage. Further, this treatment also recorded minimal fresh infestation, high larval mortality and low adult emergence. The present work shows the strong synergistic effect of the neem seed kernel extract with cypermethrin to minimize the leaf miner damage. Top Key words Botanicals, citrus, Phyllocllistis citrella, synthetic pyrethroid. Top |