Predatory potential of reduviid bug, Rhynocoris marginatus (Fab.) against fruit borers of tomato

The field experiment carried out to study the predatory potential of reduviid bug against tomato fruit borers during Rabi season of 2020-21 revealed that three augmentative releases of reduviid predator @5000 bugs ha⁻¹ at 30, 50 and 70 days after transplanting of crop resulted in significant reduction of mean number of H. armigera and S. litura larvae plant⁻¹ in predator released plot than against the control plot. The mean per cent fruit damage per plant was significantly lower at every picking in predator released plot over control plot. The fruit damage (12.92%) in predator released plot at second picking was significantly less than control plot (27.83%). The study showed that the release of predator played a significant role in reducing larval population and ultimately reducing tomato fruit damage.