Comparative Efficacy of Selected Insecticides against Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner) on Cowpea, Vigna unguiculata (L.) in Prayagraj, U.P., India

The experiment was conducted at the Department of Agricultural Entomology at Central Research Farm (CRF), Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture Technology and Sciences, Prayagraj during the Kharif season of 2023 in a Randomized Block Design with three replications and eight treatments against, Vigna unguiculata i.e., of (T1) Spinosad 45SC, (T2) Novaluron 10EC, (T3) Emamectin benzoate 10EC, (T4) HaNPV, (T5) Neem oil 5%, (T6) Spinosad 45% + Neem oil 5%, (T7) Nisco Sixer plus, (T0) Control. Each insecticide was sprayed twice at 15 days interval. The larval population per plant was taken day before and 3, 7, and 14 days after each spray. All the insecticides tested significantly reduced the pest infestation compared to control. The lowest percentage infestation of larval population of Helicoverpa armigera was observed in T6 Spinosad 45% + Neem oil 5% (1.55 %), (1.08 %) at both sprayers followed by T3 Emamectin benzoate 10EC (1.66 %), (1.19 %), T1 Spinosad 45SC (1.71 %), (1.24 %), (T2) Novaluron 10EC (1.79 %), (1.35), (T4) HaNPV (1.86 %), (1.44 %), (T5) Neem oil 5% (1.93 %), (1.55 %), (T7) Nisco Sixer plus (2.02 %), (1.62 %), T0  Control (30.87), (25.44). The crop yield and cost benefit ratio ranged between (10.36 q/ha and 19.49 q/ha), the highest being in Spinosad 45% + Neem oil 5% (19.49 q/ha), (1:3.8) followed by Emamectin benzoate 10EC (17.68 q/ha), (1:3.5), Spinosad 45SC (16.01 q/ha), (1:2.9), Novaluron 10EC (14.74 q/ha), (1:2.8), HaNPV (13.23 q/ha), (1:2.7), Neem oil 5% (12.8 q/ha), (1:2.6) and Nisco Sixer plus (11.12 q/ha), (1:2.4) and Control plot (10.36 q/ha), (1:2.3).