author(s)
P Anandhi, C Gailce Leo Justin and Elamathi S

abstract
In the present study, the effect of different Integrated Pest Management Strategies for the management of cotton stem weevil, Pempherulus affinis (Faust) was studied in cotton under field conditions at Agricultural Research Station, Kovilpatti. The incidence of stem weevil at four different dates of sowing revealed that the pre-monsoon crop (38^th standard week) experienced minimum damage by stem weevil. Among the biointensive methods, application of neem cake 150 kg/ ha + carbofuran (1 kg a.i/ ha) at 10 days after sowing (DAG) reported minimum incidence of P. affinis (15.13 %) with a yield of 1102.88 kg/ ha. The cotton crop inter cropped with Cluster bean, Maize, Green gram and Field bean recorded significantly less plant mortality due to stem weevil (2.2 to 2.8 per cent). Highest cotton yield recorded with cotton crop inter cropped Cluster bean and Green gram (860 and 838 Kg/ha). Spray application of chlorantraniliprole 18.5 SC at 0.3 ml/ l or clothianidin 50 WDG at 0.2 g/ l were equally effective which showed 74.54 and 60.02 per cent reduction of P. affinis over untreated check and recorded 1216.05 and 1203.35 kg/ ha cotton yield, respectively.