Response of cotton mealybug, Phenacoccus Solenopsis Tinsley (Sternorrhyncha: Pseudococcidae) to predators, neem oil, and synthetic insecticide under semi-field and field conditions

Mealybugs of the genus Phenacoccus attack a wide variety of crops, fruits, vegetables, ornamentals and weeds but cotton is the prime target. In current investigations, two trials were carried out under semi-field and field conditions for two consecutive years to investigate the compatibility of native predators, Chrysoperla carnea larvae and adults of Brumus suturalis and the exotic predator Cryptolaemus montrouzieri with neem oil for the control of Phenacoccus solenopsis during 2018–2019 and 2019–2020. The assessments were based on mealybug control (scale 0–9) and the percent recovery of predators. Both native predators, C. carnea and B. suturalis showed better control of the mealybug under semi-field and field conditions over the control and were also recovered at the end of the trials during both the study years which proved the conservation and colonization capability of the predator to local conditions. In contrast, the exotic predator, C. montrouzieri proved to be the most efficient predator of P. solenopsis under semi-field conditions, however, it failed to establish under field conditions and control the mealybug populations. No recoveries were made of the predator in either of the treatments under field conditions. The maximum reduction in the population of mealybug was noticed in the insecticide-treated plants. The present study showed that the application of neem oil followed by the release of C. carnea larvae and B. suturalis adults can be swapped to synthetic insecticides for the safer management of mealybug.