Pest Succession and management of Shoot and Fruit Borer, Leucinodes Orbonalis (Guenee) of Brinjal

Abstract

An investigation was carried out to study the "Pest succession and management of shoot and fruit borer, Leucinodes orbonalis Guenee of brinjal" during kharif, 2011 at Crop Research Centre, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture and Technology, Meerut. The experiment comprised of nine treatments and laid out in randomized block design with three replications. During the crop season, nine insect pest species were found attacking the crop at different growth stages. Among them, brinjal shoot and fruit borer, L. orbonalis Guenee (August end to December end) was recorded as major pest. Leaf hopper, Amrasca biguttula biguttula Ishida (July end to mid December), Cotton aphid, Aphis gossypii G. (August to December end) and white fly, Bemisia tabaci Gennadius (July end to mid December) were found moderately damaging the crop. The leaf roller, Eublemma olivacae W. (August to mid November), epilachna beetle, Epilachna vigintioctopunctata Fab. Guly end to mid December), leaf webber, Psara bipunctalis F. (August end to October end) grass hopper, Chrotogonus sp. (July end to December end) and stem borer, Euzophera particella (August to October end) recorded on the crop were of less importance. The population of L. orbonalis recorded first on first week of September and continued till last week of December. Highest population of the pest (5.20 larvae/ plant) recorded during last week of October, when average temperature and relative humidity were 22.56 °C and 69.56 per cent, respectively. Efficacy of different insecticides revealed that all the treatments proved better than control at all time intervals after each sprays. Spinosad 45 EC @ 500 ml/ha was found most effective in reducing the infestation of L. orbonalis which was closely followed by novaluron 10 EC @ 750 ml /ha and carbosulfan 25 EC @ 1.0 mllha. Bacillus thuringiensis@ .1.5 kg /ha was found less effective. The highest yield (253.30 qlha) obtained in plot treated with spinosad 45 SC @ 500 ml!ha however, higher cost benefit ratio (1 :8.50) was recorded from novaluron I 0 EC @ 1.0 1/ha.