Impact of soil fertility on maize stem borer chilo partellus

This study assesses the impact of various organic and inorganic fertilizers/pesticides on maize stem borer Chilopartellus. Maize was sown during kharif2009 and 2010 applying FYM, neem cake, Adhatoda vasica twigs, DAP and MoP at different doses. Application of MoP @ 80 kg/ha and neem cake @ 5 q/ha resulted in the least C. partellus incidence (12.95 and 14.07% plant damage, respectively- 2009; and 6.16 and 8.05%, respectively- 2010). These were followed by MoP @ 40 kg/ha and neem cake @ 2 q/ha (13.87 and 15.50% plant damage, respectively- 2009; 9.03 and 9.50%, respectively- 2010). Thus, MoP (40 kg/ha) or neem cake @ 5 q/ha can be applied to reduce the C. partellus damage. The impact on available soil nutrients was also analysed and changes in the soil fertility status was calculated.