Field evaluation of insecticides for controlling cutworm damaging potato in highlands of north-west Himalaya

Field evaluation of six insecticides viz., chlorpyriphos (0.05%), imidacloprid (0.0178%), lambda cyhalothrin (0.004%), profenofos (0.05%), quinalphos (0.05%) and triazophos (0.04%) as post emergence sprays was done to control cutworm damaging potato in Lahaul valley of Himachal Pradesh during 2008 and 2009. The results indicated that all the evaluated insecticides were effective and statistically non-significant in checking cutworm infestation in potato. These insecticides increased the tuber yield by more than 90% over control with highest increase recorded in profenofos (0.05%) sprayed plots in both the years (118.1 and 123.4%, respectively). Reductions in tuber damage to the tune of 85 to 92.2% were recorded for all the insecticides.