STUDY ON MAJOR INSECT PESTS OF TOMATO AND THEIR ECO-FRIENDLY MANAGEMENT
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Date
2023
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Abstract
An experiment entitled “Study on major insect pests of tomato and their
eco-friendly management” was conducted at the experimental farm for PG research,
Biswanath College of Agriculture, Sonitpur during rabi season of 2022-23.
During the present investigation, 11 insect pests from four orders and eight
families were recorded as pests of tomato in the field, viz., whitefly, Bemisia tabaci
(Gennadius); aphid, Aphis craccivora Koch; leafminer, Lyriomyza trifolii (Burgess);
fruitborer, Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner); jassid, Amrasca biguttula biguttula (Ishida);
semilooper, Trichoplusia ni (Hubner); epilachna beetle, Henosepilachna
vigintioctopunctata (Febricius); flea beetle, Monolepta signata (Olivier); tobacco
cutworm, Spodoptera litura (Febricius); cutworm, Agrotis ipsilon (Hufnagel) and green
stink bug, Nezara viridula (Linneous). Two coccinellid predators from order coleoptera
viz., Micraspis discolor (Fabricius) and Cheilomenes sexmaculata (Febricius) and two
spider species Lycosa tista Tikader, Anyphaena accentuata (Walckenaer) were also
recorded as natural enemies. Among them B. tabaci, A. craccivora, L. trifolii, H. armigera,
A. biguttula biguttula, T. ni, coccinellid predators and spider were found to be most
dominant species during the present study. From the correlation study it was observed that
aphid population showed a significant negative correlation with both maximum(r = -
0.709**) and minimum temperature(r = -0.511*). Whitefly population registered a
negative significant correlation with both maximum(r = -0.745**) and minimum
temperature(r = -0.757**) and positive significant correlation with morning relative
humidity(r = 0.671**). Jassid exhibited a negative but significant correlation with both
maximum(r = -0.782**) and minimum temperature(r = -0.520*). A significant negative
correlation was observed between leafminer population and bright sunshine hour(r = -
0.613*). The population of fruit borer registered significant negative relationship with
bright sunshine hour(r = -0.674**). Furthermore, cabbage semilooper showed significant
negative correlation with maximum temperature(r = -0.611*) and bright sunshine hour(r =
-0.542*). As regards coccinellid predators, it showed significant negative correlation with
maximum temperature (r = -0.525*), minimum temperature(r = -0.684**) and rainfall(r = -
0.528*) and significant positive correlation with morning relative humidity(r = 0.516*). A
significant positive correlation of aphid population was also observed with coccinellid
predator population(r = 0.743**).
Among the seven treatments tested viz., neem oil @ 5ml/lit, garlic
extract @ 5ml/lit, biogreen-L @ 5ml/lit, neem oil @ 5ml/lit + garlic extract @ 5ml/lit,
neem oil @ 5ml/lit + biogreen-L @ 5ml/lit, garlic extract @ 5ml/lit + biogreen-L @
5ml/lit, neem oil @ 5ml/lit + garlic extract @ 5ml/lit + biogreen-L @ 5ml/lit, neem oil @
5ml/lit + biogreen-L @ 5ml/lit was found to be the best treatment in reducing pests
population which was closely followed by neem oil @ 5ml/lit + garlic extracts @ 5ml/lit.
Neem oil @ 5ml/lit + biogreen-L @ 5ml/lit treated plot showed the best result in reducing
the per cent infestation of leafminer and fruit borer. The highest yield (299.56 q/ha) was
obtained from the plot treated with neem oil @ 5ml/lit + biogreen-L @ 5ml/lit with a
benefit cost ratio of 3.91. The natural enemy (coccinellid) population was found to be more
in neem oil @ 5ml/lit treated plots.