SYNERGISTIC EFFECTS OF MONOCROTOPHOS WITH BOTANICAL OILS AND COMMERCIAL NEEM FORMULATION ON SPODOPTERA LITURA (FAB.) (LEPIDOPTERA: NOCTUIDAE)

The present study was carried out to determinethe synergistic effects of pungam oil, neem oil, vijayneem and biosilvernanoparticles (10, 20, 30, 40 and 50%) blended with monocrotophos and screendagainst third instar larvae of Spodoptera litura (Fab.) (Lepidoptera:Noctuidae) by dermal toxicity bioassay. The dermal toxicity bioassay caused100% mortality in monocrotophos + neem oil and monocrotophos + biosilvernanoparticles in 10% on eighth day, monocrotophos + pungam oil in 20% on secondday and monocrotophos + vijayneem in 50% at ninth day. The highest growth wasobserved in neem oil and biosilver nanoparticles when blended withmonocrotophos. We conclude that either pungam oil or neem oil can be blendedwith monocrotophos for the management of S. litura larvae.