Efficacy and economics of Biopesticides combinations and Insecticide against Tomato fruit borer

Efficacy of eight treatments consisting combined use of biopesticides i.e. Bacillus thuringiensis, NPV and Beauveria bassiana with egg parasitoid, Trichogramma pretiosum including a chemical spray schedule and control were tested against Tomato fruit borer, Helicoverpa armigera. Four sprays of B. thuringiensis @ 1 kg/ha with release of T. pretiosum @50,000 parasitoid eggs at ten days interval was proved most effective treatment in terms of reduction in fruit damage, net return and yield but four sprays of NPV @ 250 LE/ha along with release of T. pretiosum @ 50,000 parasitoid at ten days interval was proved to be most cost effective treatment/schedule for management of tomato fruit borer. However, four chemical insecticide sprays (endosulphan @ 1.6 lit/ha, cypermethrin @ 1.0 lit/ha, endosulphan @ 1.6 lit/ha, Deltamethrin @ 0.8 lit/ha,) also ranked third in terms of cost effectiveness but due to its hazards in soil, atmosphere and crop produce, it is not advised for the control of H armigera to the farmers.