Effect Of Moringa oleifera On Fruit Infestation In Different Tomato Varieties Against Heliothis armigera

Solanaceae family includes the flowering species Lycopersicon esculentum. This plant is commonly known as a tomato (10). Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Odisha, West Bengal, Bihar, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and others are among the states in India that produce the most tomatoes (18). These states contribute about 90% of the nation's tomato harvest. The tomato fruit borer, or Helicoverpa armigera, is a pest that damages tomatoes all over the country and feeds on over 15 different crops. 90% of the time, Helicoverpa damages fruit, causing up to 3.48% in economic losses. Fruit damage causes bacterial infection, which in turn causes surface deformation and rotting (11,15). Numerous biotic and abiotic obstacles have hindered tomato development. The usage of pesticides on fruits and vegetables has increased by 10–20% annually in India. Here, pesticides are more likely to have detrimental impacts on human health. In addition to damaging ground water, excessive use of chemical pesticides reduces soil fertility and eliminates soil microorganisms. Therefore, one alternate strategy to synthetic chemical management is integrated pest management, or IPM. During current experiment, five different tomato varieties Pusa Gaurav, Ratna, Arka Saurabh, Pant bahar and Arka Abha were assessed based on fruit infestation against Heliothis armigera after different concentration of Moringa sprays. Ratna (1.33) variety of tomato is found to be most resistant against Heliothis armigera while Pant Bahar (1.66) is most susceptible.