Brinjal Shoot and Fruit Borer Management

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Brinjal Shoot and Fruit borer (BSFB) cultural, biological and chemical management

Brinjal fruit and shoot borer is a major and regular pest of brinjal crop causing severe economic damage up to 30 -50% of fruits or more.

Leucinodes orbonalis is scientific name of Brinjal fruit and shoot borer

(Pyraustidae: Lepidoptera)

Signs/ Symptoms of insect pest

  • The larva of the insect pest burrows into the petioles and tender shoots of the plants resulting in drooping of leaves and shedding of flower buds.
  • Severe damage is caused to the young fruits by the BSFB caterpillars as they tunnel into the fruits.
  • Boreholes plugged with excreta of the insect is seen in BSFB infested fruits. Furthermore, the fruits become out of shape.
  • A single BSFB caterpillar may destroy up to 4-6 fruits and the infested fruits show circular exit holes.

Prevention of Brinjal Shoot and Fruit borer

  • Avoid continuous cropping of brinjal every season.
  • Follow intercropping with fennel and coriander in Brinjal crop.
  • Seedling treatment by dipping the brinjal seedlings in Imidacloprid @1ml/lit water before transplanting.
  • Install pheromone traps in the field @4-5/acre to traps the adult BSFB moths.
  • Install light traps @1-2/acre to kill moths at initial stages of infestation.

Cultural management of Brinjal Shoot and Fruit borer

  • Rogueing of the damaged tender shoots, fallen fruits and fruits with bore holes to prevent further BSFB population buildup.
  • Adjust the planting time by transplanting at 4th week of June.

Biological management of Brinjal Shoot and Fruit borer

  • Release egg parasitoids such as Trichogramma chilonis @0.5 lakh eggs/acre.
  • Spray Bt formulations of B. thuringiensis var. kurstaki in the BSFB infested field.

How to control Fall Army Worm (FAW) in Maize

Chemical management of Brinjal Shoot and Fruit borer

  • Spray chemical insecticides like Emamectin benzoate5%SG 80gm/acre @0.4gm/lt water or Chloronthraniliprole18.5%SC 80ml/acre @0.4ml/ lt water or Thiocloprid21.7%SC 300ml/acre @1.5ml/lt water or Thiodicarb75%WP 300-400gm/acre @1.5-2gm/lt water or Flubendamide20%WDG 150gm/acre @0.75gm/lt water or Pyriproxifen5%SC+Fenpopathrin15%EC 200-300ml/acre @1-1.5ml/lt water or Fenpopathrin30%SC 100ml/acre @0.5ml/lt water or Bifenthrin10%EC 320ml/acre @1.6ml/lt water or Spinetoram11.7%SC 200ml/acre @1ml/lt water.

Conclusion: Comment below for more insect management advisories or suggestions in vegetable crops.

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