Efficacy of biorational insecticides and entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) against brinjal ash weevil, Myllocerus subfasciatus Guerin-Meneville (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

Abstract

Field experiments were conducted during 2020-21 to evaluate different biorational insecticides and entomopathogenic nematodes against ash weevil, Myllocerus subfasciatus Guerin-Meneville. The results revealed that the IPM Module 3 [comprised of soil application of Metarhizium anisopliae @ 5 kg/ha followed by soil drenching with EPN Heterorhabditis indica @ 20 kg/ha at 30 DAT and foliar spray with M. anisopliae @ 5kg/ha at 45 DAT] was found superior with the lowest number of M. subfasciatus adults per plant (mean ± SE) (2.06 ± 0.07) and the lowest leaf damage (4.35 ± 0.59 per leaf per plant), followed by the IPM Module 2 [comprised soil application of neem cake followed by application of entomopathogenic nematode H. indica @ 20 kg/ha at 30 DAT and foliar application of B. bassiana @ 5 kg/ha at 45 DAT] which was also found significant in reducing the number of M. subfasciatus and leaf damage by ash weevil (2.30 ± 0.15; 4.85 ± 0.69 respectively), compared to untreated check (2.91 ± 0.13, 5.63 ± 0.34 respectively).