Patterns of insecticide use and farmers’ knowledge level in managing Leucinodes orbonalis guenee in Tamil Nadu

A study was conducted to record the pattern of insecticide usage and knowledge level of farmers in handling insecticides to control shoot and fruit borer Leucinodes orbonalis Guenee from major brinjal growing districts of Tamil Nadu during 2022 -2023. This study found that, 22 different insecticides were imposed for the management of Leucinodes orbonalis and among them chlorantraniliprole 18.5% SC (83.00%) was recorded as the highest usage insecticide followed by spinetoram 11.7% SC (72.00%). The number of insecticide applications among various districts varied from 9.9 to 24.7 per cropping season at an interval ranging 4.9 to 12.3 days. The major source of information regarding pesticides to the farmers were pesticide dealers (65.00%) and about 98.00% of the farmers did not pay attention towards label on pesticide containers. Only around 40.00% of farmers followed recommended dose and nearly 60.00% did not follow any safety measures while spraying. Study inferred that, more than 84.00% brinjal growing farmers completely relay on pesticides for the management of Leucinodes orbonalis in brinjal.