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Pest management is one of the important components of crop management to
mitigate economic losses of agricultural crops and commodities. The harmful effects of
chemical pesticides on environment and health concern have caused a shift to adapt
various ecofriendly ways of pest management. Therefore, botanical pesticides are
gaining popularity because they are safe to use on crops produced for human
consumption and recently there is a lucrative market among consumers willing to pay
more for organically produced food. This positive trend has encouraged the research
field to focus more on ecofriendly and effective pest management strategies.
A study entitled “Evaluation of medicinal plant-based formulations for growth,
yield and pest management in Chilli (Capsicum annuum Linn.)” was carried out at the
Department of Plantation Crops and Spices, College of Agriculture, Vellanikkara during
the period from October 2020 to May 2021 with Chilli variety Anugraha as the test crop.
Three medicinal plant based trial products (P1, P2, and P3) and their combinations (P4,
P5 and P6), developed and screened at Aromatic and Medicinal Plants Research Station
(AMPRS), Odakkali were utilized for the study. P1 was developed from Vayambu
(Acorus calamus), P2 from Manja Koova (Curcuma zedoaria), P3 from Erukku
(Calotropis gigantea), P4 from Acorus calamus and Curcuma zedoaria, P5 from
Curcuma zedoaria and Calotropis gigantea and P6 from Acorus calamus and Calotropis
gigantea. Solid soap formulations of these three and their combination were evaluated
at one and two per cent concentrations at ten days intervals along with an absolute
control (T13- 1% soap solution without any botanicals) and positive control (T14-1%
Neem garlic extract).
The growth parameters like plant height (cm), leaf length (cm), breadth (cm),and
days to 50 per cent flowering and fruiting, yield characters like fruit length (cm) and
breadth (cm), fruit weight (g), number of fruits and fresh fruit yield per plant and
qualitative characters like Vitamin C (mg 100g-1
) and oleoresin content (%) were
recorded. Statistical comparison of morphological and qualitative parameters under
various treatments was done through one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) using
KAU GRAPES software.
Effect of spraying the liquid formulations of medicinal plant based products and
their combinations against sucking pests like thrips, whitefly and aphids during the
experimental period (December, 2020 to May, 2021) were studied. Population density
of sucking pests viz. thrips, white fly and aphids were recorded. Data on mean
population of sucking pests were tested by analysis of covariance (ANOCOVA) using
R studio software, taking population counts prior to the treatments application as
covariate. The result obtained was subjected to Duncan’s Multiple Range Test (DMRT)
and treatments were analysed.
The plant height showed an increasing trend from one month after transplanting
to five month after transplanting. The increment in plant height was reduced from three
months onwards after attaining the reproductive stage. The maximum cumulative plant
height of 61.05 cm was observed in T3 (Calotropis gigantea at 1%) among the
treatments.The maximum cumulative leaf length of 5.82 cm was observed in T2
(Curcuma zedoariaat 1%). The maximum cumulative leaf breadth of 2.87cm was
observed in T14 (Pest management as per Organic POP).
Days to 50 per cent flowering for different treatments varied from 42.66 to
47.66 days. The minimum days to 50 per cent flowering recorded in T5- Curcuma
zedoaria at 2 per cent and T6- Calotropis gigantea at 2 per cent. Days to 50 per cent
fruiting for different treatments varied from 55 to 62.66 days. Treatment T9- Curcuma
zedoaria and Calotropis gigantea at 1 per cent recorded minimum days to 50 per cent
fruiting (55 days).
Fruit length of chilli variety Anugraha under different treatments varied from
6.13 cm to 6.80cm. The maximum fruit length of 6.8 cm was recorded in T6 (Calotropis
gigantea at 2%). Fruit breadth (cm) varied from 2.16 to 2.76 cm. The maximum fruit
breadth of 2.76 cm was recorded in T5- Curcuma zedoaria at 2 per cent.
Per fruit weight ranged from 1.22 to 1.63 g. The maximum per frit weight of
1.63 g was recorded in T3 (Calotropis gigantea at 1%).The number of fruits per plant
ranged from 35.15 to 104.95 and the maximum number of fruits per plant (104.95) was
recorded in T6- Calotropis gigantea at 2 per cent. The fresh fruit yield per plant
ranged from 54.95 to 121.90 g. Treatment T6 (Calotropis gigantea at 2%) recorded the
maximum fresh fruit yield per plant. Factors which influence the yield of the crop like
maximum plant height, earliness (minimum days to 50 per cent flowering and fruiting),
maximum fruit length, maximum number of fruits per plant were recorded in T6
(Calotropis gigantea at 2%).
There was no significant difference for the qualitative characters like Vitamin C
(mg 100g-1
) and oleoresin content (%) with respect to the application of the medicinal
plant based formulations.
Efficacy of medicinal plant based formulations was studied against various
sucking pests during the experimental period. Calotropis gigantea based pesticidal soap
formulation showed comparatively good results against thrips population in chilli
variety Anugraha under different treatments. Minimum population of whitefly was
observed in the treatment T4- Acorus calamus at 2 per cent among various treatments.
Acorus calamus based formulation also showed good results with lower pest load
against aphids.
In general, over all disease incidence in the treatment plot was negligible during
the experimental period and Calotropis and Acorus based formulations were showed
comparatively good performance in the aspects of growth, yield and pest management
in chilli variety Anugraha.