EFFICACY AND TIME OF APPLICATION OF INSECTICIDES FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF POD BORER COMPLEX IN PIGEONPEA

摘要

Multilocation research trials were conducted to evaluate recommended insecticides (indoxacarb 14.5 SC and spinosad 45 SC) for the control of spotted pod borer, Maruca vitrata Geyer and gram pod borer, Helicoverpa armigera Hubnerduring kharif, 2014 inpigeonpea across seven locations in Punjab. Both the insecticides were evaluated at recommended doses alongwith control at flower initiation and pod formation stages of the crop, as single and double sprays against both the pests. Among the six sequencesof insecticides tested, the treatment T5 comprising two sprays of indoxacarb @ 200 ml per acre at flower initiation and pod formation was found to be effective in reducing the per cent cumulative pod borer damage at all the locations, followed by the treatment T_6 comprising two sprays of spinosad @ 60 ml per acre. Treatment T_5 recorded significantly lower number of Maruca webs per plant as well as lower per cent pod damage due to both pod borers, followed by T_6. Besides, treatments T5 and T6 also registered higher grain yield, thus proving their overall superiority.