Author(s): Allwin Loveson, Srividhya S, Jamuna E, Thilagam P and Deivamani M

Abstract: The Orchid midge infestation may be due to importation of orchids from Thailand. Now, C. maculipennis has become a serious threat to orchid producers in Indian subcontinent. It is a polyphagous pest, causes severe damage by infesting the blossoms of dendrobium plants in orchid farms. The ovipositional injury by adults and feeding of larvae on flower buds leads to decaying of flower buds which cause considerable damage and inflicting severe yield loss to the growers. Experiments on the efficacy of botanicals and entomopathogenic microbials were evaluated against blossom midge, C. maculipennis on orchids under the shade net conditions in two different locations (Rynco orchid farm, Thuckalay, Kanyakumari. and Horticultural Research Station, Pechiparai). Botanicals were tested for their efficacy against blossom midge showed similar results. Among the botanical oils, lemongrass oil recorded highest ovipositional deterrent effect (92.88%).Pungam oil @ 5ml/l showed the lowest ovipositional deterrence of 23.52 per cent and 18.72 per cent at 24 and 48 hours after treatment, respectively. Among the entomopathogenic microbials evaluated as soil drench on pupation and adult emergence of C. maculipennis, M. anisopliae @ 5 g/l had the minimum per cent pupation of 27.20 and the highest per cent reduction in pupation over untreated control of 72.15 with the per cent adult emergence of 38.81.Paecilomyceslilacinus@ 5 g/l showed the maximum per cent pupation of 77.60 and the per cent reduction in pupation over untreated control of 20.48 with the per cent adult emergence of 89.69.

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