Comparative Efficacy of Certain Insecticides and Biopesticides against Chickpea Pod Borer, Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner) on Chickpea, Cicer arietinum (L.)

The experiment was conducted at the research plot of the Department of Agricultural Entomology at the Central Research Farm, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences, Prayagraj during the Rabi season of 2021-22. The treatments selected for this experiment were Emamectin benzoate 5%SG @0.4g/L (T1), Spinosad 45%SC @0.5ml/L (T2), Profenophos 50%EC @2ml/L (T3), Indoxacarb 14.5%SC @1ml/L (T4), Neem seed kernel extract 5% @5ml/L (T5), Karanja oil 0.2% @2ml/L (T6), Bacillus thuringiensis (1×109 CFU) @2ml/L (T7) and Control (T0). The treatments were sprayed 2 times on the pod borers having crossed their ETL levels at an interval of 15 days. Observations i.e. the larval counts (5 random plants/plot) were taken in an order of the day before spray, 3rd,7th, and 14th days after spray. The results revealed that the treatments (insecticides and biopesticides) were successful in bringing down the pest infestation and superior over control. Among all the treatments applied, the lowest infestation of gram pod borer was observed in Spinosad 45%SC followed by Emamectin benzoate 5%SG, Indoxacarb 14.5%SC significantly superior over untreated control. Spinosad 45% SC gave a maximum grain yield of 22.50 q/ha against the control yielding only up to 6.66 q/ha. At the same time, the benefit-cost ratios of the treatments stand like the best and most economical treatment Spinosad (1:3.75) followed by Emamectin benzoate (1:3.71), Indoxacarb (1:2.94), Profenophos (1:2.53), NSKE (1:2.19), Karanja oil (1:1.53), Bacillus thuringiensis (1:0.87) and control (1:0:67).