Efficacy of selected insecticides and biopesticides against maize stem borer, Chilo partellus (Swinhoe)

Abstract

The field experiment was conducted in kharif season of 2023-2024 at Central Research Farm (CRF), SHUATS, Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, India. The experiment was laid in Randomised Block Design with eight treatments each replicated thrice viz., Azadirachtin 0.3%, Neem oil 2% + Imidacloprid half dose 17.8% SL, Beauveria bassiana 1×108 CFU, Imidacloprid 17.8% SL, Neem oil 2%, Emamectin benzoate 5% SG, NSKE 5% and control plot. The data on larval population of Chilo partellus after first and second spray revealed that all the treatments were significantly superior over control. Among all treatments the lowest larval population of Chilo partellus after both sprays was recorded in Imidacloprid 17.8% SL (4.02 and 2.13) and Emamectin benzoate 5% SG (4.33 and 2.48) followed by Neem oil 2% + Imidacloprid ½ dose 17.8% SL (4.55 and 3.08), Beauveria bassiana 1×108 CFU (4.77 and 3. 39), Neem oil 2% (5.02 and 3.81), Azadirachtin 0.3% (5.39 and 4.37), NSKE 5% (5.86 and 4.75) was the least effective among all treatments respectively. While, the highest yield 41.4 q/ha was obtained from the treatment Imidacloprid 17.8% SL as well as C:B ratio 1:2.42 followed by Emamectin benzoate 5%SG (40.97 and 1:2.38), Neem oil 2% + Imidacloprid half dose 17.8% SL (37.5 and 1:2.13), Beauveria bassiana 1×108 CFU (29.56 and 1:1.75), Neem oil 2% (28.12 and 1:1.70), Azadirachtin 0.3% (26.18 and 1:1.53), N S K E 5% (21.17 and 1:1.27) and control (18.2 and 1:1.15).