NEMA RAM, ARJUN LAL BIJARNIA AND PRAKASH CHAND YADAV
College of Agriculture, Sumerpur (Agriculture University, Jodhpur)-306902 Rajasthan, India
Agricultural Research Station, Keshwana (Jalore) (Agriculture University, Jodhpur) Rajasthan, India
KVK, Jalore-II (Agriculture University, Jodhpur) Rajasthan, India
*(e-mail : nr_ranwa@rediffmail.com)
(Received: 7 November 2025; Accepted: 28 December 2025)
SUMMARY
Termites, among the most polyphagous pests, are particularly destructive to wheat crops worldwide. They thrive in loamy or light soils and dry areas lacking adequate irrigation. Research on termite control in wheat under field conditions, focusing on seed treatment and management of standing crops through popular insecticides, is crucial. We examined the effects of insecticidal treatments on termite damage in wheat during two consecutive rabi seasons (2020-21 and 2021-22). The efficacy of the insecticides was evaluated based on plant damage, yield parameters, and cost- benefit analysis. The findings showed that the T4 treatment (seed treatment and soil application of imidacloprid 17.8 SL after 60 DAS) resulted in the minimum plant damage (0.91%), highest grain yield (29.33 q/ha), highest straw yield (40.76 q/ha), and maximum benefit-cost ratio (2.28). This was followed by the T6 treatment (seed treatment and soil application of fipronil 5 SC after 60 DAS) and the T2 treatment (seed treatment and soil application of chlorpyriphos 20 EC after 60 DAS), all of which proved superior to other treatments. The T7 treatment (soil application of fipronil 0.3 G) was moderately effective, while the T1 treatment (seed treatment with chlorpyriphos 20 EC) was less effective.
Key words: Wheat, termite, seed treatment, efficacy and management