Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

IMPACT OF MONOCROTOPHOS APPLICATION ON PREDATORY ARTHROPODS IN THE RICE ECOSYSTEM

M. Ganesh Kumar and R. Velusamy

Abstract

The effect of monocrotophos, which is commonly used for the control of leaf- and planthoppers of the rice plant, has been reported to be sate to several natural enemies. In the present study it was found that the insecticide had a significant negative impact on the population of predators like the wolf spider, Lycosa pscudoannulata Boes. et Strand, the long jawed spider, Tetragnatha javana, the staphylinid beetle, Paderusfuscipes and the water bug, /oh:rove/in atricilincata. Timing of application was found to be very important when the safety of these beneficial arthropods was taken into consideration. Compared to calendar based application of the insecticide, the predators fared better under ETL based application.