%0 Journal Article
%T Cotton Flea Beetle, <i>Podagrica puncticollis</i> Weise (Coleoptera: Halticidae) in Metema District, Northern Ethiopia: Yield Loss Assessment and Management
%A Eshetu Agegnehu Abebe
%J Open Access Library Journal
%V 2
%N 1
%P 1-10
%@ 2333-9721
%D 2015
%I Open Access Library
%R 10.4236/oalib.1101128
%X Flea beetles are the most destructive insect pests of cotton in
Northwestern part of Ethiopia. Damage is the most severe when seedlings are
attacked and may necessitate extensive resowing. A field experiment was
carried out in Metema districtfrom June to December in 2007 cropping season to
estimate yield losses due to cotton flea beetle and to determine the efficacy
of seed dressing and foliar insecticides against <i>Podagrica puncticollis</i>. The treatments were arranged by using RCBD
with three replications. Seeds were treated with seed dressing insecticides
(Cruiser 350 FS and Apron Star 42 WS) 5 days before sowing and foliar
insecticide treatments (Sevin 85% WP and Endosulfan 35% EC) were applied 5 and
10 days after seedling emergence. No significant differences were observed
among treatments in the number of flea beetles per plant before spraying with
foliar insecticides. However,
significant differences (P &lt; 0.05) were observed among treatments in
infestation of flea beetles before and after spray with foliar insecticides,
indicated by the number of flea beetles after spray with foliar insecticides
and the number of holes per damaged leaf. Plots sown with seeds treated with
Cruiser, plots sown with seeds treated with Cruiser plus foliar spray with
Sevin or Endosulfan 5 days after seedling emergence and 2 times spray of Sevin
or Endosulfan 5 and 10 days after seedling emergence gave the least number of
flea beetles per plant (1), infestation and showed less symptom of flea beetle
damage with the least number of holes per damaged leaf (15) as compared to the
other treatments which gave similar results to untreated check (22 flea beetles
and 55.2 holes). Significant differences (P &lt; 0.05) were observed among
treatments in some agronomic characteristics of cotton. Plots sown with seeds
dressed with Cruiser combined with foliar spray with Sevin or Endosulfan 5 days
after seedling emergence showed significant differences and gave more number of
leaves per plant (81), maximum plant height (95.2 cm), no reduction of plant
stand per plot and more seed cotton yield (0.49 kg) of all the other
treatments, whereas, seeds dressed with Apron Star solely and seeds dressed
with Apron Star plus foliar spray with Sevin or Endosulfan 5 days after
seedling emergence gave the least results and no differences were observed as
compared to untreated check in some agronomic features of cotton (38 leaves, 58.1
cm and 0.1 kg). A seed cotton yield loss of 75.51% was recorded in untreated
plots as compared to seeds treated with Cruiser plus foliar spray with Sevin 5
days after seedling emergence. Using Cruiser as a sole seed dressing
insecticide and supplementing those seeds treated with Cruiser by foliar
spraying with Sevin 5 days after seedling emergence provided the most reasonable
management approach for cotton flea beetle.
%K Cotton Flea Beetle
%K Yield Loss
%K Management
%U http://www.oalib.com/paper/3129858