Safety of Pesticidal Sprays to Natural Enemies in Chilli (Capsicum annuum L.)

A study was conducted to assess the safety of three acaricides (Propargite 57 EC, Ethion 50 EC and Fenpyroxymate 5 SC), one insect growth regulator (Buprofezin 25 SC), four botanical pesticides (Neemgold 0.15 EC, Neem seed kernel Extract 5%, Clerodendron inermae aqueous leaf extract 5%, Vitex negundo aqueous leaf extract 5%), and formulations of two bioagents Verticillium lecanii and Paecilomyces fumosorosens to natural enemies associated with yellow mite, Polyphagotarsonemus latus (Banks) in chilli under field condition. The natural enemies observed were predatory coccinellid, Coccinella septempunctata Linnaeus, and the predatory mites, Amblyseius ovalis (Evans) and Amblyseins longispinosus (Evans). The botanical pesticides and formulations of bioagents were quite safe to predatory coccinellids and mites at tested doses. Among the synthetic acaricides, fenpyroxymate was quite safe to both predatory mite and coccinellid species and recorded on par results with the bioagents and botanical pesticides. Buprofezin and Neemgold were intermediate in their safety to predators.