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Abstract
There is little work on the bioefficacy of mineral oil on management of whitefly in vegetable crops. The bioefficacy of mineral oil, a safer material than synthetic chemical pesticides, was determined against whitefly Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) on okra [Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench]. Laboratory and pot culture studies were conducted to test the bioefficacy of mineral oil alone or in combination with other materials against whitefly on okra. A 2% concentration of mineral oil + neem oil and mineral oil + Pongamia glabra seed oil produced 95% and 93.33% mortality at 48 h after treatment under laboratory conditions. In pot culture, 2% concentrations of mineral oil + neem oil and mineral oil + Pongamia glabra seed oil were effective against B. tabaci with a mean population reduction of 81.83% and 81.52%, respectively. Foliar application of up to 5% mineral oil on okra produced no phytotoxicity on 30- and 45-day-old plants. However, mineral oil at 7%, 10%, 15%, and 20% produced injury to tips and surfaces of leaves with a rating of 2.0, 2.0, 3.33, and 6.33 on 30-day-old plants and 2.0, 2.0, 3.0, 5.0 on 45-day-old plants, respectively. Mineral oil at 3% and 5% concentrations did not cause phytotoxicity. Laboratory experiments conducted on the safety of mineral oil and its combinations for the predator Chrysoperla carnea (Stephens) eggs and grubs indicated that all mineral oil–based treatments were safe with negligible negative effects on hatching of eggs 89%–93.5% hatching and minimum grub mortality of 3.33%–16.67%. Mineral oil in combination with either neem oil or Pongamia glabra seed oil is efficacious in checking the whitefly population; furthermore, it is not phytotoxic and is safer for its common predator Chrysoperla carnea (Stephens).