Chemical control of spider mite, Oligonychus indicus Hirst on sorghum.

Field and laboratory experiments to determine the efficacy of different pesticides for the control of sorghum mite, Oligonychus indicus Hirst were conducted during Rabi 1984–85 and Kharif 1985–86 at the Farm of University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad. Eight pesticides viz., tetradifon (0.05%), dicofol (0.05%), ethion (0.05%), decamethrin (0.0014%), cypermethrin (0.025%), fenpropathrin (0.01%), endosulfan (0.07%) and malathion (0.1%) were tested. Among them ethion, dicofol and tetra-difon proved superior over other chemicals. Considering the net income accrued due to use of pesticides, ethion at 0.05% (Rs. 6135/ha) followed by tetradifon at 0.05% (Rs. 4614/ha), dicofol at 0.05% (Rs. 4379/ha) and endosulfan at 0.07% (Rs. 4105/ha) were adjudged as most effective acaricides.