Management of Chickpea Pod Borer, Helicoverpa armigera Hubner by Using Microbial Pesticides and Botanicals

Research was conducted on management of chickpea pod borer, Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner) by using microbial pesticides and botanicals. Total two sprays were taken. On 7 days after first spray, minimum number of larvae were recorded in the treatments Azadirachtin 50000 ppm (0.8 ml l⁻¹) followed by Btk 1.5 g l⁻¹, M. anisopliae 5 g l⁻¹, Beauveria bassiana 5 g l⁻¹, and HaNPV 500 LE ha⁻¹ (0.18, 0.28, 0.38, 0.80 and 0.83 respectively) and per cent pod damage recorded in the treatments Azadirachtin, HaNPV, Btk, B. bassiana and M. anisopliae was 6.81, 8.69, 10.40, 10.95 and 11.57 respectively. On 14 days after first spray, the treatment Btk and Azadirachtin recorded minimum number of larvae of 0.03 each and found to be best treatments whereas, Azadirachtin recorded minimum (4.82) per cent pod damage per 5 plants and found to be best treatment at 14 days. 7 and 14 days after second spray the treatments Btk, Azadirachtin, B. bassiana and M. anisopliae were observed to be the most effective treatments which recorded zero number of larvae. While on 7 days after second spray, the treatment Btk recorded least pod damage per five plants of 4.02 and found to be best treatment in order of efficacy. On 14 days after second spray, the treatment Btk recorded significantly minimum (4.42) per cent pod damage. Data revealed that the treatment Btk recorded highest yield of 1294.62 Kg ha⁻¹ and found to be the best treatment. It was followed by Azadirachtin, M. anisopliae, HaNPV and B. bassiana which recorded 1183.03, 1082.08, 1005.22 and 968.75 Kg ha⁻¹ and were at par with each other except water spray. Among microbials and botanical the maximum C: B ratio of 1: 15.15 was obtained from Azadirachtin followed by M. anisopliae (1: 13.73).