Comparative efficacy of sulfoxaflor against cotton leafhopper, Amrasca devastans (Distant) (Cicadellidae: Homoptera) under field conditions of Punjab and Sindh

Efficacy of sulfoxaflor was evaluated in six field experiments against the cotton jassid, Amrasca devastans (Distant) during 2008 and 2009 in Hyderabad and Multan areas of Pakistan. The data revealed that sulfoxaflor 240SC significantly reduced A. devastans populations up to one week in three trials conducted during 2008. Sulfoxaflor @ 36 g a.i. per hectare provided very good control even at 10 days. Movento 150 OD (spirotetramat) and Confidor 200SL (imidacloprid) at 50 g a.i. per hectare were also highly active on Indian jassid in Hyderabad, but in Multan where the initial pest pressure was high, only neonicotinoid provided some initial activity. In 2009, where the population of A. devastans was very high, initial efficacy after 3 days application and residuality of two neonicotinoids was low, whereas sulfoxaflor 500WDG demonstrated very robust short-term and residual activity when applied @ 25-50 g a.i. per hectare. In all field experiments conducted in Multan and Hyderabad sulfoxaflor at 24-50 g a.i. per hectare clearly exhibited consistent performance against A. devastans and proved as an excellent new tool for managing the most destructive pest of cotton in Pakistan.