Evaluation of botanical extracts against thrips (Sciothrips cardamomi) infesting small cardamom

A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of different botanicals extracts against Thrips (Sciothrips cardamom) infesting on Small cardamom during the year 2021-2022 and 2022-2023. The observations of thrips were recorded from randomly selected 100 Plants and from each plant were observed. A three year old cardamom block was selected for the study. Treatment application was carried out in randomized complete block design with three replicates and four plants per plot was selected for observation. There were two cardamom rows as guard rows in between each treatment plot. Initial application of treatments was done in July 2021 to 2023 and nine rounds of treatment applications were carried out at monthly intervals. Pods were harvested at maturity and yield data were recorded. Numbers of damaged and undamaged pods were recorded at each harvest by obtaining a sample from each bush. Yield and percentage of damaged pods were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA). Percentage data were transformed to inverse sine before analyses were carried out. Tulsi leaves extract 10 per cent (22.65 thrips/plant) was found to be the most effective treatment as compared to other treatments followed by Gandhatri leaves extract 10 per cent (19.39) and Ardusi leaves extract 10 per cent.