Seasonal occurrence and management of litchi fruit and shoot borer, Conopomorpha sinensis (Bradley)

A field trial was conducted consecutively for two years at ICAR-National Research Centre on Litchi, Mushahari, Muzaffarpur; Bihar, india to study the population build-up, compute yield losses caused by litchi fruit and shoot borer, Conopomorpha sinensis (Bradley) and its management through newer insecticides. Initial presence of litchi fruit & shoot borer was noticed in 13^th standard week (5.33 pupae/ 10 shoot) and maximum number of pupae (9.33 pupae/10 shoot) were observed in 15^th standard week. Negative correlation was observed with T_Max while positive correlation was observed with T_Min and RH (%) for population build-up of litchi fruit & shoot borer. Fruit bearing was maximum (33.17/ shoot) with 10% level of infestation and minimum (10.00 fruits) at 80% level of infestation against 40.33 fruits in control. Fruit retention at harvest stage was maximum (21.00) with 10% level with minimum 2.00 fruits at 100% level against 27.33 fruits in control. Mean weight of infested fruit was 17.35g against 24.33g of healthy fruit. At harvest stage, minimum fruit infestation (0.33%) was observed in two treatments namely,spinosad 45 SC (1.75 ml/5l) and flubendiamide 39.35 SC (1.5 ml/5l) followed by spinetoram 11.7 SC (1ml/l) with 0.67 % infestation against 12.33 in control. Thus, newer insecticide molecules, namely spinetoram, flubendiamide, novaluron 5.25% +indoxacarb 4.5%, Triazophos 35 %+ deltamethrin 1% EC and spinosad can be incorporated against litchi fruit & shoot borer management programme.