Evaluation of Biopesticides Against Leaf Eating Caterpillar Spodoptera litura (Fabricius) on Castor

Nine biopesticides were evaluated against leaf eating caterpillar, Spodoptera litura Fabricius infesting castor during 2012–13. Spodoptera litura Nuclear Polyhedrosis Virus @ 250 LE/ha and Beauveria bassiana (0.4%) protected the crop from pest and produced higher yield. The treatments of Bacillus thuringiensis @ 0.15, azadirachtin @ 0.0006% and neem seed kernel extract @ 5.0% were found moderately effective in checking the incidence of S. litura. The highest (28.33 q/ha) seed yield of castor was obtained from the plots treatedwith SNPV and it was at par with Beauveria bassiana (26.77 q/ha) and Bt (26.30 q/ha). SNPV and Beauveria bassiana found effective and economical treatments than the others and occupied first rank.