Evaluation of oviposition efficiency on trap crops of marigold and coriander for management of tomato fruit borer, Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner) (Noctuidae: Lepidoptera) on potted plants

Dual choice test was conducted to study the ovipositional and larval preference of H. armigera on the test plants of marigold and coriander while the tomato plants acted as control. The maximum number of eggs were laid on the two varieties of marigold plants (83.6, 80.8) which were significantly higher than the number of eggs laid on coriander plants (67.6, 60.0) and less in tomato plants (25.6, 21.6). The order of preference for oviposition by females of H. armigera was: marigold > coriander > tomato. In terms of larval preference among the trap crop genotypes Pusa Narangi cultivar of marigold was the most preferred with 63.4±13.66 per cent of released larvae followed closely by the second marigold cultivar Summer Saugat (60.8±9.33). The two coriander cultivars, Punjab Sugandh and Local with 54.4±6.18 and 48.4±8.04 per cent of released larvae preference respectively, over the tomato plants.