Ethion 50% EC Insecticide Uses

Ethion 50% EC is an organophosphate insecticide and acaricide registered for use in India under the Insecticides Act, 1968, formulated as an emulsifiable concentrate (EC) for foliar spraying. It is registered for the control of mites, thrips and scale in tea; whitefly and bollworms in cotton; mites and thrips in chilli; pod borer in gram and pigeon pea (arhar/tur); and girdle beetle and stem fly in soybean. This page lists its mode of action, key benefits and the recommended dosage as per the Central Insecticides Board & Registration Committee (CIB&RC) official list of approved insecticide uses (Government of India).

Which Problem Is This For? (Symptom Guide)

Not sure whether the damage in your field matches this insecticide's use case? This guide helps match what you see in the field to this insecticide's approved crop-wise uses.

Mode of Action

Ethion is an organophosphate (IRAC Group 1B, acetylcholinesterase inhibitor). It blocks the acetylcholinesterase enzyme in the pest's nervous system, so the nerve signal does not switch off; the pest suffers continuous nerve stimulation, paralysis and death. It acts mainly by contact and stomach action and is non-systemic, so thorough spray coverage is needed. It is active against both insects and mites.

Features & Benefits

• Broad-spectrum activity against mites, thrips, scale, whitefly, bollworms, pod borers, girdle beetle and stem fly under one registration.
• Contact and stomach action against both insects and mites.
• Registered on tea, cotton, chilli, gram, pigeon pea and soybean.
• Organophosphate (Group 1B) mode of action — can be rotated with other insecticide and acaricide groups for resistance management.

Recommended Usage of Ethion 50% EC Insecticide

The table below gives the recommended dose, water volume and waiting period per acre, converted from the CIB&RC-registered per-hectare rate — see the note below the table for conversion details. Always confirm against the current product label before use.

Figures above are converted from the CIB&RC-registered per-hectare rates (1 ha ≈ 2.47 acres), all with 500–1000 L water/ha: tea — 250 g a.i., 500 ml formulation/ha, PHI 3 days; cotton whitefly — 750–1000 g a.i., 1500–2000 ml/ha, PHI not stated; cotton bollworms — 1000 g a.i., 2000 ml/ha, PHI 25 days; chilli — 1500–2000 ml/ha, PHI 5 days; gram and pigeon pea — 500–750 g a.i., 1000–1500 ml/ha, PHI 21 days; soybean — 750 g a.i., 1500 ml/ha, PHI 30 days. Always confirm the current dose on your specific product's label before use.

How to Use

1. Identify the pest from the symptom guide above and confirm the dose from the table.
2. Mix the measured quantity in a little water first, then add it to the spray tank and top up to the full volume while stirring.
3. Spray uniformly over the crop with good coverage of both leaf surfaces, shoots, flowers and pods/bolls, since the product works by contact.
4. Spray at the first sign of pest build-up, or at the crop stage advised by your local agricultural extension office.
5. Spray in calm weather in the early morning or late evening, and avoid spraying if rain is expected within a few hours.

Precautions & Safety

• Wear appropriate PPE — mask/respirator, gloves, goggles and full-sleeved clothing — while mixing and spraying, and avoid inhaling the spray mist.
• Follow the recommended dose strictly; do not mix with other pesticides unless specifically recommended.
• Respect the waiting period (PHI) before harvesting the treated crop — 3 days for tea, 5 days for chilli, 21 days for gram and pigeon pea, 25 days for cotton (bollworms) and 30 days for soybean. CIB does not state a waiting period for the cotton whitefly use; follow the current product label.
• Ethion is an organophosphate: if you feel headache, dizziness, excessive sweating, nausea or blurred vision during or after spraying, stop work, move to fresh air and seek medical help immediately, showing the product label.
• Do not spray on flowering crops while bees are actively foraging; spray in the early morning or late evening instead.
• Do not let spray wash or field water reach ponds, fish tanks, streams or drinking-water sources.
• Store in the original, tightly closed container in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight, food and feed, and out of reach of children and livestock.
• Wash hands, face and any exposed skin thoroughly with soap and water after spraying, and change out of contaminated clothing before eating, drinking or smoking.

Brand names mentioned on this page are registered trademarks of their respective owners and are referenced here for identification purposes only; FarmMate is not affiliated with or endorsed by these brands. This page is for general information only — always consult your local agricultural extension office and confirm the current product label before use.