Management of brinjal shoot and fruit borer, Leucinodes orbonalis Guenee, with selected insecticides.

Brinjal shoot and fruit borer (BSFB), Leucinodes orbonalis Guenee is a serious insect pest of brinjal (Solanum melongena L.) in all brinjal growing countries. It is the most important pest in Asia, including Pakistan. Different insecticides were evaluated for the control of BSFB in a field study at Sahiwal, Pakistan during spring and fall sowing seasons. The study was carried out using Nirala variety of brinjal. Transplanting of nursery was done in the field on March 11 and August 15, 2012 for spring and fall seasons crop, respectively. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design having four replications. Each plot had four rows at 50.0 cm spacing and plant to plant spacing was 30.0 cm. Insecticides used were spinosad (Tracer 240SC), flubendiamide (Belt 48 SC), emamectin benzoate (Timer 1.9EC), bifenthrin (Talstar 10EC), spinetoram (Delegate 25WG) and chlorantraneiliprole (Coragen 20SC). Insecticides were sprayed on April 2, 17 and May 2 for spring sown crop and on September 3, 18 and October 4 for fall sown crop. All infested fruits were picked from plots one day before insecticide application. Infected shoots were marked by tying a ribbon to all drooping shoots one day before spray. Fruit and shoot infestations were recorded seven and 14 days after insecticide application from plants in the middle two rows of each plot. All treatments reduced shoot and fruit infestation significantly as compared to the control. However, flubendiamide (Belt 48SC) and emamectin benzoate (Timer 1.9EC) treated plots had the least shoot infestation. For control of the borer in fruits, spinosad (Tracer 240SC) proved to be the most effective insecticide.