Integrated Management of the Yellow Mite, Polyphagotarsonemus latus (Banks), on Sweet Pepper Grown under Polyhouse

Different IPM modules were evaluated for the management of yellow mite, Polyphagotarsonemus latus (Banks) on sweet pepper grown under protected cultivation at the Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bangalore. Results indicated that application of module 1(spray of abamectin followed by ethion and abamectin) or module 2 (spray of abamectin followed by profenophos and abamectin) was significantly more effective (3.91-6.58 mites/ leaf) than module 3 (spray of dicofol followed by pongamia oil and neem seed kernal extract (5.79 -6.95 mites/ leaf) in the first two trials (Sept. 2002- Mar. 2003 and June - Dec.2003). IPM modules like module 4 (spray of dicofol followed by release of Amblyseius tetranychivorus and spray of Verticillium lecanii and module 5 (spray of dicofol followed by release of A. tetranychivorus and spray of pongamia oil (9.25-15.53 mites/leaf) were marginally effective during the first two trials. However, in the third trial (Mar. - Sept., 2004) all the revised modules, viz., abamectin followed by dicofol (M₁), dicofol-fenazaquin (M₂), fenazaquin-pongamia oil (M₃) and organic module oxymetrin-neem soap (M₄) were effective (2.30-3.03 mites/leaf) against the yellow mite.