Abstract

The field experiments were conducted for evaluation of Dinotefuran, a third generation neonicotinoid insecticide, against brown planthopper (BPH) in farmer’s field at Sahebganj village (Block- Bhatar, Dist. – Burdwan), West Bengal, India during kharif, 2008-09 and 2009-10. Seven treatments contained four doses of dinotefuran at 15, 20, 25 and 30 g ai./ha, imidacloprid at 25 g ai./ha and acephate at 400 g ai./ha along with an untreated check were tested following randomised block design (RBD) with three replications. The crop was raised in plots (60 m²) following recommended package of practices. Two successive sprays of selected insecticides were applied with knapsack sprayer at 15 days interval.  Bio-efficacy of dinotefuran for controlling the rice brown planthopper in laboratory condition and the relative safety of the molecule to the major predators of brown planthopper in rice ecosystem was carried out in polycarbonate glasshouse. Results revealed that dinotefuran performed very good spectrum of action throughout the seasons against BPH population than the conventional acephate and commonly used neo-nicotenoids. Dinotefuran 20 SG was found quite effective against BPH at 25 g ai./ha and was also very safe to the important predators recorded to be present in rice field. LC₅₀ value of dinotefuran as determined in the laboratory test at 24 h was 0.415 ppm.

Key words: Neonicotinoid, planthopper, dinotefuran