FIELD EVALUATION OF PLANT PRODUCTS AND MICROBIAL FORMULATIONS AGAINST BRINJAL SHOOT AND FRUIT BORER, LEUCINODES ORBONALIS GUENEE UNDER SEMIARID CONDITIONS OF RAJASTHAN

ABSTRACT Studies were conducted to evaluate the efficacy of plant products viz., neem oil (2%), iluppai oil (2%), pungam oil (2%), combination of iluppai and pungam (1 : 1) and microbial formulations viz., entomopathogenic fungi, Beauveria bassiana and Verticillium lecanii against the brinjal shoot and fruit borer (BSFB), Leucinodes orbonalis Guenee. The results revealed that newer plant products i.e. oils of iluppai and pungam were at par with standard check endosulfan and were found to be significantly superior than microbial formulations and also showed better efficiency than neem oil in the suppression of BSFB infestation with significant insecticidal property. The yield data also revealed that the maximum yield of marketable fruits was obtained using iluppai oil (202.75 q/ha) ; the percent gain over control was least with V. lecanii followed by B. bassiana, neem oil, combination of iluppai and pungam oil, pungam oil, iluppai oil (77.8%), and maximum with endosulfan (83.3%). The results thus suggest that newer plant products such as oils of iluppai and pungum are promising botanicals in the integrated pest management strategy against BSFB.