DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION OF IPM MODULES AGAINST FRUIT BORER (Helicoverpa armigera) INFESTING TOMATO CROP.

Field studies on the "Development and evaluation of different management schedules against fruit borer, Helicoverpa armigera infesting tomato crop" were carried at farmer's field, village Surajgarh, Jhajjar, Haryana. The observations on infestation of fruit borer in tomato fruits at the time of each picking, %reduction of the fruit borer infestation, total marketable yield in different schedules over control and benefit cost ratio were calculated. The maximum larval reduction over control was observed in S6 i.e. spray of fenvalerate 20 EC @ 188 ml/ha (79.91%) followed by spray of nimbecidine 300 ppm @ 2.5 l/ha (79.04). On number basis, highest fruit damage reduction over control was observed in S6 (50.23%) followed by S5 (43.83%) and lowest (21.72%) in S4 i.e. African yellow marigold + yellow sticky trap + Trichogramma chilonis Ishi @ 50000 parasitised eggs/ha (2 releases at 4 days interval). On weight basis, %fruit damage reduction over control was maximum in S6 (57.47%) followed by S5 (53.10%) and minimum in S4 (25.06%). The highest benefit cost ratio (22.81) was recorded in S6 due to lowest cost of plant protection (Rs.3628.34/ha) and highest increased yield over control (72 q/ha). Although schedule S4 was next to S6 in term of total cost of plant protection but showed lowest benefit cost ratio (3.46) due to minimum increased yield over control (20 q/ha) among all the management schedules. Benefit cost ratio in remaining schedules were 8.97, 5.40, 3.71 and 3.58 in S5, S1, S2 and S3, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]