Comparative efficacy and economics of selected chemicals and Metarhizium anisopliae against fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) on maize (Zea mays L.) at Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh

Abstract

The experiment was conducted at the research plot of the Department of Entomology at Central Research Farm, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture Technology and Sciences, Prayagraj during the Kharif season of 2023. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Block Design (RBD) with three replication, Seven treatments, and untreated control were evaluated against, Spodoptera frugiperda i.e. T1 Thiamethoxam 12.6% + Lambda Cyhalothrin 9.5% ZC, T2 Chlorantraniliprole 18.5% SC, T3 Lambda Cyhalothrin 5% EC, T4 Chlorantraniliprole 9.3% + Lambda Cyhalothrin 9.5% ZC, T5 Metarhizium anisopliae, T6 Thiamethoxam 25% WG, T7 Spinosad 45% SC, and T8 Control. The results on the Spodoptera frugiperda larval population after both sprays proved that all of the treatments were significantly superior to the control. Among the all treatments lowest larval population of Spodoptera frugiperda was recorded after both sprays in Chlorantraniliprole 18.5% SC (0.93). Spinosad 45% SC (1.06), was found to be the next best treatment followed by Chlorantraniliprole 9.3% + Lambda Cyhalothrin 9.5% ZC (1.22), Lambda Cyhalothrin 5% EC (1.37), Thiamethoxam 12.6% + Lambda Cyhalothrin 9.5% ZC (1.48), Thiamethoxam 25% WG (1.75) whereas, Metarhizium anisopliae (1× 108 CFU/ml) (1.95) was found to be least effective but superior over the control. While, the highest yield was obtained from the treatment Chlorantraniliprole 18.5% SC (42.40 q/ha) as well as B: C ratio (1:2.58), followed by Spinosad 45% SC (39.62 q/ha), (1:2.49), Chlorantraniliprole 9.3% + Lambda Cyhalothrin 9.5% ZC (36.24 q/ha), (1:2.27), Lambda Cyhalothrin 5% EC (33.50 q/ha), (1:2.13), Thiamethoxam 12.6% + Lambda Cyhalothrin 9.5% ZC (29.32q/ha), (1:1.90) and Thiamethoxam 25% WG (26.12 q/ha), (1:1.69) respectively, while the lowest grain yield of (24.63 q/ha), (1:1.48) was observed in plot treated with Metarhizium anisopliae and the untreated control plot resulted least grain yield (18.24 q/ha), (1:1.25).