Abstract
Grubs of the white grub Leucopholis coneophora Burm. feed on the roots of coconut palms and is a severe pest in Kerala and Karnataka States in South India. Four chlorinated hydrocarbon insecticides, HCH, heptachlor, aldrin and chlordane were evaluated for control of the immature stages of the white grub using bioassay techniques. Aldrin and heptachlor were the two most active compounds, weight for weight, against second and third instar grubs, but on a projected cost performance basis HCH and heptachlor emerged as the most promising candidates. Field evaluation of these two insecticides under controlled conditions proved that L. coneophora could best be controlled with heptachlor applied at 1.4 kg a.i. ha-1 in the month of June or with HCH applied twice at 5 kg a.i. ha-1 in June and September.
