Farmer participatory assessment of bio-intensive IPM modules against Brinjal shoot and fruit borer, Leucinodes orbonslis Guenee

The result of two seasons trials revealed that IPM module (M4) comprising of soil incorporation of neem cake @ 2 Q/ha (50% at transplanting and 50% at 3 weeks after transplanting), alternate spraying of neem oil (300 ppm) @ 5 ml/l of water and Bt @ 2 g/l of water at 10 days interval, installation of pheromone traps from 30 DAT @ 70/ha and regular collection and destruction of infested plant parts was found to be highly effective in minimizing the BSFB infestation with the minimum shoot (7.8%), flower bud (6.4%) and fruit damage (8.8% & 10.8% on number and weight basis, respectively) in comparison to the farmers’ practice of indiscriminate application of different insecticides and ITK. The module M3 also offered a superior control of L. orbonalis and was found to be statistically similar with the efficacy of M4. While, the module M4 produced highest total (228.05 q/ha) and marketable fruit yield (209.69 q/ha) and M3 resulted in maximum net return ( 90,050.3) and B:C ratio (2.61).