Seasonal Incidence and Management of Bollworm complex in Bt cotton under Irrigated ecosystem

A field trial was conducted to develop an IPM module for Bt cotton (MECH-184 Bt) against bollworm complex. MECH-184 Bt cotton recorded significantly lower larval population of Helicoverpa armigera (0.18 & 0.13). The incidence of Earias sp. and pink boll worm was nil in Bt cotton plots. Overall IPM components like growing redgram as a trap crop, installing pheromone traps @ 5 traps/ha for bollworm monitoring, erecting bird perches, spraying of 5% NSKE, mechanical collection of grown up larvae and selective application of insecticides based on ETL were imposed for MECH-184 Bt cotton plots and recorded a net profit of 54 and 87% increase over local hybrid at Research Station and in Farmer field, respectively.