Determining the Effect of Biopesticides and Chemicals against Pod Borer [Helicoverpa armigera (L.)] on Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.)

The field investigation was carried out in the Prayagraj district of Uttar Pradesh. The experiment was conducted in rabi 2022 at Central Research Farm (CRF), SHUATS, Naini, Prayagraj district. The field was laid in RBD with three replication and eight treatments viz., Beauveria bassiana (2×108 CFU/gram) (2 ml/liter), Metarhizium anisopliae (2×108 CFU/gram) (2 g/liter), Bacillus thuringiensis (1×109CFU/ml) (2 ml/liter), Ha NPV (1×109 POB’s/ml) (1 ml/liter), Azadirachtin 0.3EC (5 ml/liter), Spinosad 45% SC (0.5 ml/liter), Neem seed kernel extract 5% (5 ml/liter), and untreated controlled plot to check the efficacy of biopesticides against pod borer, on chickpea. The result on the efficacy of treatments the least larval population was recorded in Spinosad 45% SC (0.96) followed by Ha NPV (1.20), Bacillus thuringiensis (1×109 CFU/ml) (1.84), Beauveria bassiana (2×108 CFU/gram) (1.91), Metarhizium anisopliae (2×108 CFU/gram) (2.02), Azadirachtin 0.3EC (2.22), Neem seed kernel extract 5% (2.48) and the highest larval population of pod borer was found in control treatment (4.02). In another parameter higher yield and cost benefit ratio was recorded in Spinosad 45% SC (20.33 q/ha) (1:2.84), followed by Ha NPV (1×109 POB’s/ml) (18.60 q/ha) (1:2.59), Bacillus thuringiensis (1×109 CFU/ml) (17.65 q/ha) (1:2.46), Beauveria bassiana (2×108 CFU/gram) (15.68 q/ha) (1:2.19), Metarhizium anisopliae (2×108 CFU/gram) (14.58 q/ha) (1:2.03), Azadirachtin 0.3% EC (13.81 q/ha) (1:1.92) and Neem seed kernel extract 5% (13.58 q/ha) (1:1.89) as compared to control (10.83 q/ha) (1:1.54).