Efficacy of biorational insecticides against Bemisia tabaci (Genn.) and their selectivity for its parasitoid Encarsia formosa Gahan on Bt cotton

The toxicity of seven biorational insecticides [five insect growth regulators (Buprofezin, Fenoxycarb, Pyriproxyfen, Methoxyfenozide, and Tebufenozide) and two oil-extracts of neem and bitter gourd seeds] against Bemisia tabaci and their selectivity for its parasitoid, Encarsia formosa were evaluated in laboratory and field conditions for 2 years (2018–2019) in Pakistan. Toxicity results demonstrate that Pyriproxyfen, Buprofezin, and Fenoxycarb proved to be effective (80–91% mortality and 66.3–84.2% population-reduction) against B. tabaci followed by Methoxyfenozide, Tebufenozide (50–75% mortality and 47.8–52.4% population-reduction), and then oil-extracts of neem and bitter gourd (25–50% mortality and 36.5–39.8% population-reduction) in the laboratory [72 h post-application exposure interval (PAEI)] and field trails (168 h PAEI), respectively. All tested biorationals, except Methoxyfenozide [(slightly-harmful/Class-II), i.e., causing mortality of parasitoids between a range of 25–50%] and Tebufenozide [(moderately-harmful/Class-III), i.e., causing mortality of parasitoids between the ranges of 51–75%], proved harmless/Class-I biorationals at PAEI of 7-days in the field (parasitism-reduction < 25%) and 3-days in the lab (effect < 30%). In laboratory bioassays, exposure of parasitized-pseudopupae and adult-parasitoids to neem and bitter gourd oils demonstrated that these compounds proved harmless/Class-I biorationals (< 30% mortality). Alternatively, Pyriproxyfen, Buprofezin, Fenoxycarb, Methoxyfenozide, and Tebufenozide were slightly-harmful biorationals (30–79% mortality) against the respective stages of E. formosa. We conclude that most of the tested biorationals proved harmless or slightly harmful to E. formosa, except tebufenozide after PAEI of 7-days (168 h) in the field and, therefore, may be used strategically in Integrated Pest Management (IPM) of B. tabaci.