Studies on effect of acaricides on natural enemies of European red mite Panonychus ulmi (Koch) in North Kashmir

The studies on effect of acaricides on natural enemies of European Red Mite Panonychus ulmi (Koch) in North Kashmir were carried out during 2017 at Pattan (Baramulla). Seven acaricides and one horticulture mineral oil were evaluated at a single concentration viz., fenazaquin 10 EC @ 0.004, Propargite 57 EC @ 0.057, hexythiazox 5 EC @ 0.002, spiromesifen 240 EC @ 0.096, fenpyroximate 5 EC @ 0.005, ethion 50 EC @ 0.05, clothianidin 50 WDG @ 0.007, arbofine extra @ 0.75 and water as check against the pest infesting on apple trees during second week of July. The effect on natural enemies viz., Stethorus punctum and Amblyseius spp and was observed. Regarding natural enemies, the highest per cent mortality of 78.33 and 76.52 in respect of natural enemies viz., S. punctum and Amblyseius spp was observed in fenazaquin @ 0.004 per cent whereas, the minimum per cent mortality 61.67 was caused by arbofine extra (HMO) @ 0.75 per cent in S. Punctum and 64.20 per cent in Amblyseius spp, respectively.