Bioefficacy of insecticides against sorghum shoot fly Atherigona soccata (Rondani)

Field experiments were conducted for three consecutive years 2005–2007 in kharif season to find out the effective and economical seed dresser for the management of sorghum shoot fly Atherigona soccata (Rondani) at Sorghum Research Station, Marathwada Agricultural University, Parbhani. The treatment with thiamethoxam @ 3. 1 g a. i./kg seed recorded significantly lowest shoot fly deadhearts (22. 66%) and gave maximum yield (3071. 59 kg/ha) which was at par with imidacloprid @ 8. 75 g a. i./kg seed. There were not much differences in cost benefit ratio of thiamethoxam (70 WS) @ 3. 1 gm a. i./kg (1: 12) and thiamethoxam @ 2. 10 gm a. i./kg. (1: 11). Hence, lower dose of thiamethoxam can be used effectively and economically for shoot fly management in late sown kharif sorghum.