Journal of Biology and Nature

Chemical control is an important component of integrated pest management for controlling insect and non-insect pests in mulberry plantations. Pesticides protect mulberry from pest damage. Under the scenario of climatic change and pest behaviour, mites and thrips often appear simultaneously during dry spells. Therefore, using a dual active chemical that combines both the insecticidal and acaricidal properties would be a cost-effective solution for managing both the pests with single application. A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the bio-efficacy of diafenthiuron 50 % WP against thrips and mites in mulberry and its impact on rearing and reproductive performance of silkworm, Bombyx mori L. Diafenthiuron 50 % WP was applied at 1g/L and pest populations were recorded one day before spraying and at 1^st, 3^rd, 5^th, 8^th and 15^th days after spray (DAS), along with control. The control plots recorded significantly higher thrips and mite populations throughout the observation period. Application of diafenthiuron significantly reduced thrips populations (11.63 DBS, 0.46, 0.27, 0.20, 0.76 and 0.90 No./leaf during January–February; and 19.96 DBS, 0.63, 0.56, 0.47, 0.53, and 0.73 No./leaf during March–April up to 15 DAS) and mite populations (9.93 DBS, 0.30, 0.23, 0.20, 0.39, and 0.43 No./2 cm²; and 5.76 DBS, 0.28, 0.25, 0.20, 0.37, and 0.42 No./2 cm² during the respective cropping periods). Leaf area recorded at 45 and 60 days after pruning (DAP) was significantly higher in treated plants compared to the control. The highest mulberry leaf yield was obtained from diafenthiuron-treated plots (58,228.75 and 57,424.62 kg/ha/year) during the first and second crops, respectively. Being a dual-active molecule with both insecticidal and acaricidal properties, diafenthiuron provides a cost-effective and efficient single-application solution under changing climatic conditions where thrips and mites occur concurrently. Therefore, diafenthiuron 50 % WP can be recommended as a promising component of integrated pest management in mulberry, ensuring effective pest control while supporting sustainable sericulture practices.