Bioefficacy of Chemical and Biorational Insecticides Against Incidence of Legume Pod Borer, Maruca vitrata (Geyer) in Short Duration Pigeonpea*

Studies were conducted at Agricultural Research Farm, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi during Kharif 1999 and 2000 to know the efficacy of seven chemical insecticides (alanycarb 30EC, lambda cyhalothrin 5EC, beta cyfluthrin 25SC, profenofos 50EC, thiodicarb 75WP, monocrotophos 36SL and endosulfan 35EC) and four biorationals (methoxyfenocide 2F, lufeneron 5EC, Bt and NSKE 5%) against legume pod borer, Maruca vitrata (Geyer) in short duration pigeonpea cv. ICPL 87. AT 50 per cent flowering first spraying was given and other two sprays were given at 10 days intervals. Spraying of beta cyfluthrin 25SC @ 18.75 g a.i.ha⁻¹, lambda cyhalothrin 5EC @ 25 g a.i.ha⁻¹, thiodicarb 75WP @ 750 g a.i.ha⁻¹ attributed to higher yield and less larval incidence when compared to other treatments. Among biorationals, methoxyfenocide 2F @ 300 g a.i.ha⁻¹, lufeneron 5EC @ 60 g a.i.ha⁻¹ and Bt @ 1 kg a.i.ha⁻¹ provided good protection and registered significantly lesser incidence of Maruca larvae and higher yield over control.