AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATION CENTRE

www.arccjournals.com / indianjournals.comAgric. Sci. Digest., 33 (2) : 98 - 103, 2013

SEASONAL INCIDENCE AND ECONOMIC LOSSES OF BRINJAL SHOOT ANDFRUIT BORER, LEUCINODES ORBONALIS GUENEE

Suresh Kumar and Dharmendra Singh*

Department of Entomology,C. S. Azad University of Agriculture & Technology, Kanpur-208 002, India

Received: 05-03-2012 Accepted: 01-12-2013

ABSTRACTSeasonal incidence of shoot and fruit borer, Leucinodes orbonalis Guen. (on shoot) was more

prevalent during vegetative phase of the crop up to the 3rd week of September. On initiation offruiting stage there was a continuous decline in the infestation on shoots and it disappeared duringfruiting stage of the crop in end of October, as the borer infestation shifted to the fruits reaching inthe 2nd week of October. It gradually declined with the advent of winter season and completelywiped out by the end of November. The role of temperature, rainfall, relative humidity (Morning) inincreasing infestation and intensity on shoot and fruits was very conductive but RH (%) (Evening)responded negatively. The economic injury level of shoot and fruit borer on brinjal shoots wasrecorded as 0.96 & 0.90 per cent during 1st and 2nd year respectively and on brinjal fruits as 0.81 &0.72 per cent during 1st and 2nd year.

Key words: Brinjal shoot borer, Economic injury level, Fruit borer, Infestation, Leucinodes, orbonalis, Seasonal incidence.

* National Centre for IPM, LBS-Building, IARI, Campus, New Delhi-110 012, India

INTRODUCTIONBrinjal, Solanum melongena Guen. is one

of the most common vegetable in south-east Asiancountries including India, Bangladesh, Srilanka,China, Japan etc. The newly introduced varietieshave made possible to raise this crop throughoutthe year. However, it is mainly cultivated insummer and rainy season in all the areas of itscoverage. The production and quality of fruits isaffected by a number of pests but most of theworkers have reported L. orbonalis as a limitingkey factor in its profitable cultivation (Singh etal., 2000). In brinjal crop fruits loss (70- 92 %)was reported due to the attack of Ambresicabiguttela biguttela, Bemisia tabaci and L .orbonalis (Naik at al., 2009). Caterpillars gainentry into shoot tips of the young plants, flowersand developing fruits and feed in both nurseryand field conditions therein, resulting in cessationof shoot growth and shedding of buds and flowers.The affected fruits showed holes and fetch lessprice in the market (Puranik et al., 2002).

MATERIALS AND METHODSThe experiments were carried out in kharif

seasons at Department of Entomology, C. S. AzadUni. of Agri. & Tech., Kanpur during (2005 and2006). One month old nursery plants of brinjal cv.Azad B-1 were planted the 1st week of August. Thetrial was laid out in randomized block design havingtreatment (T0, T1, T2, T3, T4, T5, T6, T7, T8 and T9)three replications for seasonal incidence. The cropwas planted as per recommendation of package ofpractices. The plot size was 14.0 X 4.0 m and 3.6 X3.0 m for seasonal incidence and economic injurylevel, respectively. The spacing of 60 X 60 cmbetween plants and rows was manufactured andnormal cultural practices were followed.

The seasonal incidence of brinjal shoot andfruit borer was recorded at weekly intervals in theexperiment, starting from the first appearance of thepest at 14 days after transplanting and continued tillthe harvesting of the crop. The intensity andinfestation of L. orbonalis on plants were recordedby counting infested and healthy shoots on randomlyselected ten plants from each replication. The fruits

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at each picking of all plants were sorted separatelyin two groups i.e., infested and healthy fruits. Thepercentage infestation was calculated on the basisof weight of healthy and damaged fruits and intensitywas recorded by counting larval holes of damagedfruits. The data on seasonal incidence includingintensity and infestation of shoot and fruit borer ondifferent dates were correlated with prevailingtemperature (ºC), relative humidity (RH%), rainfall(mm./ week), wind velocity(km/hr.) andevaporation(mm.) on the basis of simple correlationcoefficients between the variables.

The economy injury level (EIL) of the pestwas determined by creating the variation in postinfestation as per techniques of Stone and Pedigo(1972), Atwal and Singh(1989) and Singh et al.,(2000) through varying application of endosulfan35 EC @ 0.7gm a. i. at 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and9 times at weekly intervals as per need of pestincidence on shoot and fruits were recorded in allthe treatments after 4 days of each application anddata were computerized to obtain the economicinjury level (EIL) and economic threshold (ET) ofthe pest on growing and fruiting phonological stageof the crop.

Cost of insecticidal treatment (Rs./ ha.)Gain threshold = — — — — — — — — — — — — Cost of produce (Rs./Qs.)

Gain thresholdEconomic injury level = — — — — — — — — — — Regression coefficient

The yield of fresh fruits (q/ha) obtained indifferent insecticidal treatments having differentdegree of pest infestation was considered forcalculating the EIL on fruits whereas for EIL onshoots, total yield of infested and uninfested fruitswas taken plots wise to nullify the effect of fruitdamage.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONThe infestation of brinjal shoots and fruit

borer, L. orbonalis damage was noticed 3.33 to10.00 per cent on the shoot in 4th week of August,which reached at its peak to 80.00 per cent on theplants in 3rd week of September with an intensity of1.80 to 1.90 larval per plant during both years(2005and 2006). Then the infestation of pest on shootscontinuously decreased and infestation disappeared

during the end October. The infestation of shootsand fruits borer started on fruits during 1st week ofOctober and reached 53.33 to 63.33 per cent bynumber and 46.66 to 60.00 per cent by weight inthe 2nd week of October during both years. Theinfestation of the pest gradually declined with theadvent of winter season and completely wiped outby the end October (Table 1a). There was positiverole of temperature, rainfall, relative humidity(morning) on its infestation and intensity on shootsas well as on fruit but relative humidity (evening)responded negatively (Table 1b).

During 1st year (2005), brinjal shoot and fruitborer showed significant positive correlation withmaximum temperature (ºC) and fruit damage by(intensity / plant r = 0.863** , No. fruits r = 0.796**and fruit damage by weight r = 0.797**). Pest alsoexhibited positive significant relationship withminimum temperature (ºC) and fruit damage by(intensity/ plant r = 0.875** , No. of damage fruit r= 0.723* and fruit damage by weight r = 0.726).The L. orbonalis also reflected positive significantassociation with evaporation (mm.) and fruit damageby (intensity/ plant r = 0.827** , No. of damage fruitr = 0.856** and fruit damage by weight r = 0.856**).

During 2nd year (2006), brinjal shoot andfruit borer exhibited significant positive correlationwith maximum temperature (ºC) and shoot damageby (intensity/ plant r = 0.797** and infestation (%)r = 0.798* * ). Pest showed positive significantrelationship between maximum temperature (ºC)and fruit damage by (No. of fruits damage r =0.866** and weight of fruits r = 0.863**). The L.orbonalis was also reflected positive significantassociation with rainfall (mm.) and fruit damage by(intensity/ plant r = 0.742** , No. of damage fruit r= 0.658** and fruit damage by weight r = 0.623**).The Pest reflected positive significant involvementwith evaporation (mm) and intensity of fruit damage/plant r = 0.845** . Varma et al. (2009) reported, theincidence of shoot and fruit borer showed positivesignificant correlation with maximum relativehumidity (%), rainfall (mm), wind speed(km./hrs.)and sunshine(hrs.) at Allahabad(UP). The larvalinfestation of L. orbonalis showed positivesignificant relationship with maximum temperature(ºC), mean relative humidity (%) and rainfall(mm)at UBKV, Pundibari, Cooch Behar(WB)(Ghosh and

100 AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE DIGEST

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Senapati, 2009). Tiwari et al. (2012) reported thatthe incidence of brinjal shoot and fruit borer hadhighly significant association with sun shine (hrs).

Infestation of brinjal shoot and fruit boreroccurred after 35 days of transplanting at Meerut(Tiwari et al., 2011). Patnaik (2000) and Singh etal., (2000) reported that the population of L.orbonalis was most serious on shoots duringSeptember-October. Borer infestation was 73.33 percent on the top shoot at the beginning of Septemberand infestation peaked (86.66 per cent) by third weekof September, with an intensity of 2.90 borer perplant. At initiation of flowering, borer infestation onshoots declined and reached zero by the end ofOctober. According to Ghosh and Senapati (2009)and Singh et al., (2009), the pest was found to bemost active during May-August and caused 49.5 to81.0 per cent damage of fruits. Borer infestationshowed a significant positive correlation (p= 0.05)with maximum and mean temp., minimum andmean relative humidity and rainfall, whereas withmaximum relative humidity the correction wasnegative but non significant.

The insecticidal treatments had shownvarying degree of shoot and fruit infestation. Thedata on total yield include both damaged as well ashealthy fruits were considered to calculate theeconomic injury level (EIL) of shoot and fruit borerof brinjal shoots. The economic injury level wasdetermined as 0.96 and 0.90 per cent during bothyears. The economic injury level of shoot and fruitborer on brinjal fruits was calculated by consideringthe variation in fruit infestation obtained due toinsecticidal application at it was 0.81 and 0.72 percent during first and second year, respectively (Table2). Pedigo et al.,(1986) advocated that how muchinsect(Number of larvae) cause how much damageand was damage significant on the bases of pestmanagement economics? Most entomologists agreethat a common rule for pest threshold for pestmanagement is required. Need to fixed short range(No.) of insect at farm level in particular crop orseason. EILs techniques are applicable for all pests,when used as criteria for the successful crop pests’management. Infestation of fall armyworm,Spodoptera frugiperda(J. E. Smith) have reportedto corn harm after second week of crop germination,while EIL was fixed when pest population reach up

102 AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE DIGEST

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103Vol. 33, No. 2, 2013..

to causing 10 to 40 per cent infestation during sixweek of plant germination(Evans et al., 1990). Singhet al., (2000) had adopted this technique forcalculating the economic status of shoot and fruitborer on brinjal. Similar procedure has also beenadopted for maintaining the different levels of aphidintensity under AICORPO (All India Co-ordinatedResearch Project on Oil seed) in the country. Thegain threshold level for endosulfan was assessed onthe market price of endosulfan 35 EC and brinjal,

as indicated in the calculations of economics of theinsecticidal treatments. Anaji and Balikai (2007)also reported crop loss estimation and economicinjury level of Peregrinus madis on sorghum. Aspresent investigation, regarding the economic injurylevel (EIL) of shoot and fruit borer on shoot weredetermined as 0.96 and 0.90 and EIL on fruit 0.81and 0.72 per cent, are in complete agreement withthose of Singh et al ., (2000) who determined 0.91per cent on shoot and 0.67 per cent on its fruits inplains of U.P.

REFERENCEAnaji R., and Balikai, R.A. (2007). Crop loss estimation due to Peregrinus madis and its economic injury level in rabi

sorghum. Ann. Pl. Protec. Sci. 15: 474- 475.Atwal, A. S. and Singh, B. (1989). Pest Population and Assessment of Crop Losses. ICAR, New Delhi,: 84-121.Evans, D.C. and Stansly, P.A. (1990). Weekly Economic Injury Levels for Fall Armyworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Infestation of Corn in Howland Ecuador. J. Econ. Entomol. 83: 2452- 2454.Ghosh, S.K. and Senapati, S.K. (2009). Seasonal fluctuation in the population of Leucinodes orbonalis Guen. in the

sub-Himalayan region of west Bengal, India and its control on eggplant (Solanum melongena L.). PrecisionAgric. 10: 443-449.

Naik, V.C.B., Rao, P.A., Krishnayya, P.V. and Chalam, M.S.V. (2009). Seasonal incidence and management of Bemisiatabaci Gennadius, Amrasca biguttula biguttula and Lucinodes orbonalis Guenee Ishida of Brinjal. Ann. Pl.Prpotec. Sci. 17: 9- 13.

Patel, J.R., Korat, D.M. and Patel, V.B. (1988). Incidence of shoot and fruit borerLeucinodes orbonalis Guen.) and itseffect on yield in brinjal, Indian J. Pl. Protec. 16: 143-145.

Patnaik, H. P. (2000). Flower and fruit infestation by brinjal shoot and fruit borer, Leucinodes orbonalis Guen damagepotential vs. weather. Veg. Sci. 27: 82-83.

Pedigo, L.P.,. Hutchis, Scott H. and Higley, Leon G. (1986). Economic Injury Levels in Theory and Practice. Ann. Rev.Entomol. 31: 341-368.

PuraniK, T.R., Hadapad, A.B., Salunkhe and Pokhorakar, D.S. (2002). Management of shoot and fruit borer, Leucinodesorbonalis Guen. through Bacillus thuringiensis formulationon brinjal. J.Ent. Res. 26: 229-232.

Singh, R. K., Devjani, P. and Singh, T.K. (2009). Population dynamics of Leucinodes orbonalis Guenee. Ann. Pl. Protec.Sci. 17: 486-487.

Singh, S.V., Singh, S.K. and Malik, Y.P. (2000). Seasonal abundance and economic losses of shoot and fruit borer,Leucinodes orbonalis Guen. on brinjal. Indian J. Ent. 62:247-252.

Stone, J..D. and Pedigo, J.P. (1972). Development of economic injury level of the green clover worm on soybean inIowa. J. Econ. Ent. 65: 197-202.

Tiwari, G., Prasad, C.S., Nath, Lok and Singh, Rajendra (2011). Efficacy of bio – pesticides and insecticides on brinjalshoot and fruit borer, Leucinodes orbonalis Guenee. Ann. Pl. Protec. Sci. 19: 345-349.

Tiwari, Ghananad, Prasad, C. S., Kumar, Amit and Nath ,Lok (2012). Influence of weather factors on populationfluctuation of pest complex on Brinjial. Ann. Pl. Protec. Sci. 20: 68- 71.

Varma, S., Anandhi, P. and Singh, R. K. (2009). Seasonal incidence and management of brinjal shoot and fruit borer,Leucinodes orbonalis. J. Ent. Res., 33: 323-329.