Cost-effective and eco-friendly management of Oligonychus coffeae, Calacarus carinatus and Acaphylla theae on tea with a pyridazinone molecule fenpyroximate 5% EC

The hazardous environmental effect, non-selectivity with non-target toxicity and longer residual persistence of conventional synthetic pesticides leads to resistance development and secondary pest outbreak opened the new modern era of bio-rational eco-friendly chemicals having novel mode of action with higher bio-efficacy on insects and mites control as an approach of integrated pest management. Field bio-effectiveness of a METI acaricide fenpyroximate 5% EC along with traditional acaricides as foliar spray against tea red spider mite, purple mite and pink mite was undertaken at Sukna Tea Estate and Kamalpur Tea Estate, West Bengal respectively with a 20+ years old plantation (TV-29) during 2013–2014 and 2014–2015. The treatments at higher dosages (30 and 60 g a.i. ha−1) were superior over standard checks propargite 57% EC and fenazaquin 10% EC. Mean percent reduction of red spider mite, purple mite and pink mite was minimum in treatments with higher dosages with mean value ranging from 73.83%-81.17%, 83.87%-91.66% and 83.90%-90.15% respectively. The test chemistry was relatively safe to important predatory fauna like Cheilomenes sexmaculata and Amblyseius ovalis. Highest yield was obtained in case of higher dosages (637.9 and 648.3 kg made tea ha−1), but fenpyroximate 5% EC at 30 g a.i. ha−1 (600 ml ha−1) proved most economic with the cost: benefit ratio of 1: 18.22, in the management of different mite pests infesting tea.