Seasonal incidence of major insect pests of brinjal and their natural enemies

Field experiments were conducted during 2012 and 2013 to know the seasonal incidence of major insect pests of brinjal and their natural enemy complex. As many as nine species of insect pests from the seedling stage to harvesting were observed. Among these, four viz., brinjal shoot and fruit borer, Leucinodes orbonalis Guen., epilachna beetle, Henosepilachna vigintioctopunctata (F.), aphid, Aphis gossypii Glover and leafhopper, Amrasca biguttula biguttula Ishida were the major pests whereas aphid, Myzus pessicae (Sulzer), whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Guen.), flea beetle, Monolepta signata Oliv., leaf roller, Antoba (Eublemma) olivacea (Walker), semilooper, Plusia spp. were found as minor pests. Among these, brinjal shoot and fruit borer was the dominant one. Among natural enemies, six species of coccinellid predators viz., Coccinella transversalis, Harmonia dimidiata, Brumoides suturalis, Micraspis discolor, Coccinella septempunctata and Cheilomenes sexmaculata were recorded.