Influence of farming systems on management of major pests and disease of groundnut

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during the summer 2019 to manage significant pests and diseases of groundnut. Four farming methods were evaluated against Aphis craccivora, Scirtothrips dorsalis, Spodoptera litura andearly leaf spot (Cercospora arachidicola). Among the different farming methods, Natural farming (NF) (neemastra @ 625 lit/ha) significantly reduced the Aphis craccivora (3.92 aphids /plant) and Scirtothrips dorsalis (11.80%) at one week after spray followed by organic farming (OF) and a package of practice (POP). Similarly, S. litura (0.44 % leaf damage) infestation was significantly lower at two weeks after spray compared to other treatments. Botanical decoctions were found safer to Coccinella transversalis in natural farming plot. The experiment also evaluated the effective farming methods against early leaf spot of groundnut and among the different methods, the minimum per cent disease index (6.26) was recorded in POP (hexaconazole 5EC @ 500ml/ha) followed by OF (azadirachtin 10000 ppm @ 600ml/ha) (7.02) and NF (fermented buttermilk @ 12.50 lit/ha) (7.19). All the farming methods were statistically at par in recording pod yield however, the highest pod yield was recorded in POP (20.07 q/ha) followed by organic farming (19.50 q/ha). The present investigation has found natural farming to be an effective system against the management of pests and disease in groundnut.