Efficacy of insecticides against Spodoptera litura (Fabricius) infesting groundnut (Arachis hypogaea linnaeus)

A field experiment was laid out in a randomized block design (RBD) with nine treatments and three replication at Regional Research Station, Anand Agricultural University, Anand during Kharif season in 2021. Results revealed that, among eight insecticides tested, maximum reduction in larval population and damaged in plants were found in the treatment of emamectin benzoate 5 SG, followed by chlorantraniliprole 18.5 SC and chlorpyriphos 20 EC with groundnut pod and haulm yield of 3179 and 4768 kg ha^-1, 3116 and 4674 kg ha^-1 and 3099 and 4649 kg ha^-1, respectively. Considering the incremental cost benefit ratio (ICBR), the highest (1:25.0) return was obtained in the treatment of chlorpyriphos 20 EC followed by emamectin benzoate 5 SG (1:14.02), lambda cyhalothrin 5 EC (1:12.6) and chlorantraniliprole 18.5 SC (1:10.4). On the basis of ranking, the treatments of emamectin benzoate 5 SG, chlorpyriphos 20 EC and chlorantraniliprole 18.5 SC were found to be most effective as well as economic against tobacco leaf eating caterpillar, Spodoptera litura infesting groundnut crops and also found to be superior in increasing yield over control to other treatments.