Field Efficacy of Selected Chemicals and Biopesticides against Brinjal Shoot and Fruit Borer (Leucinodes orbonalis) on Brinjal (Solanum melongena) at Prayagraj

Abstract

A field experiment was carried out at the Central research farm of Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology, and Sciences, located in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, during the kharif  2023-24. The experiment was designed following a randomized block design with three replications. It encompassed eight treatments: T1 - Neem oil 3%@ 30ml/lit, T2 - Metarhizium anisopliae @ 2.5ml/lit,T3 - Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki @ 2gm/lit, T4 - Spinosad 45 SC @ 0.3 ml/lit, T5 - Emamectin benzoate @ 0.4 gm/lit, T6 - Chlorpyrifos 20 EC @ 2.5ml/lit, T7 - Chlorantraniliprole 18.5 SC @ 0.4ml/lit and T8 - untreated control. The objective was to assess the field efficacy of selected chemicals and biopesticides against Leucinodes orbonalis (Guenee) infestation on brinjal in Prayagraj. Two rounds of spraying was conducted at 15-days interval. Data on shoot and fruit infestation was recorded after each spraying and picking, including the percentage of shoot infestation. The results showed that the initial population of the pest before the spray exhibited a non-significant distribution. Following the spray, the findings demonstrated that T5 – Emamectin benzoate @ 0.4 gm/lit exhibited significant effectiveness against shoot and fruit borer, comparable to T7 – Chlorantraniliprole 18.5 SC, at 3, 7, and 14 days post-spraying. Following closely in efficacy were Spinosad 45 SC and Chlorpyrifos 20 EC. The highest cost benefit ratio was recorded- T5-Emamectin benzoate, followed by T7-Chlorantraniliprole 18.5 SC. The highest cost-benefit ratio was recorded in T5– Emamectin benzoate @ 0.4gm/lit followed by T7- Chlorantraniliprole 18.5 SC @ 0.4ml/lit and the lowest monetary return was observed with the control (T0).