Seasonal incidence, varietal screening and management of shoot and fruit borer infesting okra in Kangra valley of Himachal Pradesh

The present investigation was carried out as two year trials at farmer's fields in village Kachhiari (Kangra) in Himachal Pradesh to study the seasonal incidence, varietal susceptibility and management of Earias vittella (Fabricius) infesting okra crop through insecticides, biopesticides and a bioagent. Studies revealed that the okra shoot infestation varied between 1.78 to 2.24% during first year and 0.82 to 1.56% during second year, while the fruit infestation varied between 1.83 to 35.85% and 1.23 to 29.64% during the respective years. Peak fruit infestation (%) as well as peak larval population per fruit was observed in third to fourth week of August during the two seasons. Among the 10 okra varieties/hybrids screened for relative susceptibility to E. vittella, Tulsi and Varsha Uphar registered lower mean per cent fruit borer infestation as well as higher yield as compared to the rest. Among the different treatments, cypermethrin (0.01%), endosulfan (0.07%) and Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki (1.96 × 107 IU ha−1) + endosulfan (0.035%) sprays were found efficacious against the pest.