Comparative efficacy of insecticides against Plutella xylostella (L) on cauliflower.

The result revealed that cartap 50 SP @ 500 g a.i.ha−1 proved to be most effective treatment against the pest and it was on par with triazophos 40 EC, carbosulfan 25 EC both @ 300 g a.i. ha−1 and profenophos 50 EC @ 100 g a.i. ha−1. Diameter and weight of cauliflower heads ranged from 12.50 to 18.19 cm and 480.24 to 572.48 g, respectively. The mean crop yield ranged between 184.91 to 201.76 q ha−1 in the insecticidal treatment, the highest being in cartap (201.76 q ha−1) followed by triazophos (192.35 q ha−1) carbofuran (191.60 q ha−1), profenophos (191.13 q ha−1) and quinalphos (190.26 q ha−1), which did not differ significantly among each other. The cost benefit ratio varied from 1:7.58 to 16.18 in different insecticidal treatments, the highest in cartap with a record of maximum monetary benefit of Rs. 23,067.00 closely followed by triazophos with its net profit of Rs. 17,280.50 ha−1.