Field efficacy of insecticides against brinjal shoot and fruit borer in rainfed farming situations of Uttarakhand hills

A field trial was conducted during kharif 2014 and 2015 at Regional Research Station and KVK Lohaghat (1650 m amsl) to evaluate the field efficacy of certain newer insecticides viz. Spinosad 45SC, Carboslfan 25 EC, Profenofos 50EC, Quinalphos 25 EC, Lambda-cyhalothrin 5 EC, Cypermethrin 10 EC, Achook 0.15 EC and Nimbecidine 0.03 EC against brinjal shoot and fruit borer (Leucinodes orbonalis Guenee). All insecticides significantly reduced the shoot and fruit infestation and provided higher fruit yield as compared to untreated control. Spinosad 45 SC (0.2 litre/ha) proved most effective and significantly superior over other treatments as provided lowest shoot damage (3.76%), lowest fruit damage by number (6.17%) as well as by weight (6.21%) and highest marketable yield (195.56 q/ha) followed by Carbosulfan 25 EC (1.0 litre/ha) where shoot damage, fruit damage by number and by weight and marketable yield were 5.12%, 6.90%, 7.49% and 189.35 q/ha, respectively. Highest net monetary return (Rs 73449.00 ha⁻¹) was obtained in treatment Spinosad 45 SC (0.2 litre/ha) followed by Carbosulfan 25 EC (1.0 litre/ha) where net monetary return was Rs 68732 ha⁻¹, while minimum was in Nimbecidine 0.03 EC (2.5 litre/ha). Lambda-cyhalothrin 5 EC (0.4 litre/ha) recorded highest cost-benefit ratio (1: 29.59) followed by Carbosulfan 25 EC @ 1.0 litre/ha (1: 24.54).