Economic Evaluation and Impacts of Insecticides and Bio-pesticides in Controlling the Brinjal Shoot and Fruit Borer (Leucinodes orbonalis Guenee)

Abstract

The present investigation were carried out with a view to find out the incremental cost benefit ratio of different insecticides and bio-pesticides against brinjal shoot and fruit borer (Leucinodes orbonalis Guenee) in Kharif season at the Student’s Instructional Farm (SIF), Chandra Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture and Technology, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, during Kharif 2022 and 2023. The study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of different insecticidal and bio-pesticidal treatments for managing L. orbonalis and enhancing brinjal yield. Based on the findings, Spinosad 45 SC recorded the highest yield of 110.78 q/ha with an ICBR of 4.72, followed by Emamectin benzoate 5% SG (97.22 q/ha, ICBR 2.86) and Lambda cyhalothrin 5 EC (97.00 q/ha, ICBR 9.47). Neem oil 1500 ppm proved to be the most cost-effective treatment, achieving the highest ICBR of 17.82 with a yield of 79.22 q/ha. NSKE 5% (76.78 q/ha) ranked third in cost-effectiveness with an ICBR of 4.99. Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki recorded a yield of 59.67 q/ha and an ICBR of 2.00, while Beauveria bassiana (54.11 q/ha, ICBR 0.76) and Metarhizium anisopliae (53.00 q/ha, ICBR 0.64) showed relatively lower efficacy. The untreated control resulted in the lowest yield of 37.44 q/ha. Thus, for maximum yield, Spinosad 45 SC and Emamectin benzoate 5% SG are the most effective treatments, whereas for cost-effective management, Neem oil 1500 ppm and Lambda cyhalothrin 5 EC are the best options for controlling L. orbonalis in brinjal cultivation.