Effect of Selected Insecticides on Helicoverpa armigera Hubner (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) on Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Miller) and Their Successful Management

Ghulam Abbas¹, Najamul Hassan¹, Muhammad Farhan¹, Ikramul Haq¹, Haider Karar²

¹Pest Warning and Quality Control of Pesticides, Lahore, Pakistan.
²Entomological Research Sub-Station, Entomological Research Institute, Ayub Agricultural Research Institute, Faisalabad, Pakistan.

DOI: 10.4236/ae.2015.31003                

Abstract

Helicoverpa armigera H. is a polyphagous notorious pest of a number of economic crops including tomato. In tomato, it can reduce its yield as high as 70% due to fruit boring. Although some predators and parasitoids have been recorded in the field for their natural control, their manipulation to a successful crop management is still awaited. To overcome this pest, insecticides play a significant role in its effective crop management program globally. Tomato is an absolutely perishable commodity and needs the specified period required between the application, of conventional pesticides of organophosphate group, and consumption which can hardly be afforded. Therefore, nine insecticides from the new chemistries, which were relatively safer to human and environment, i.e. Coragen (chlorantraniliprole), steward (indoxacarb), Belt (flubendamide), Delegate (spintoram), Volium Flexy (chlorantraniliprole + thiamethaxim), Fipronil (grafter), Proclaim (emamectin benzoate), Pirate (chlofenapyr) and Lufenuron (lufenuron), were tested on tomato crop heavily infested by this pest in the farmers field in districts Lodhran and Bahawalpur (Pakistan) in the month of April 2014. The mortality was compared after 4, 7 and 10 days and treatments were compared with control as well with one another. The average maximum % mortality, i.e. 89.36 and 85.09 of the pest, was observed with Volium Flexy, and Delegate also worked well even after 7 and 10 days. Similarly, the results on the basis of damaged fruits and percent loss of yield pointed out that Chlorantraniliprole, Flubendiamide and Indoxacarb had resulted better as compared with others, although the difference was statistically non significant. These new chemistry pesticides are suggested to be used at tomato crop against Helicoverpa armigera which are best fitted in the IPM program for the control of the pest.

Keywords

Spintoram, Chlorantraniliprole, Helicoverpa armigera, Tomato, Pakistan

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

[1]	Talekar, N.S., Opena, R.T. and Hanson, P. (2006) H. armigera Management: A Review of AVRDC’s Research on Host Plant Resistance in Tomato. Crop Protection, 5, 461-467. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cropro.2005.07.011
[2]	Sharma, H.C. (2001) Cotton Bollworm/Legume Pod Borer, Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner) (Noctuidae: Lepidoptera): Biology and Management. Crop Protec. Compend. CAB Int’l., Wallingford, 70 p.
[3]	Latif, M., Aheer, G.M. and Saeed, M. (1997) Quantitative Losses in Tomato Fruits By Helicoverpa armigera Hb. Abstract No. PM-9, 3rd International Congress of Entomological Scientists, Islamabad, 18-20 March 1997, 95 p.
[4]	Inayatullah, M. (2007) Biological Control of Tomato Fruitworm (Helicoverpa armigera) Using Egg Parasitoid Trichogramma Chilonis (Trichogrammatidae: Hymenoptera) and Chrysoperla carnea (Chrysopidae: Neuroptera). First Annual Technical Report, HEC Funded Project, 99 p.
[5]	Shaheen, N. (2008) Is Organic Forming Suitable Solution For Pakistan. SDPI Research & News Bulletin, 15, 78-81.
[6]	Ignacimuthu, S. (2007) Insect Pest Management. Meeting Report. Current Science, 92, 1336-1337.
[7]	Anon (2014) An Online Information. http://www.distancesfrom.com/pk/Bahawalpur-city-latitude-longitude-Bahawalpur-city-latitude-Bahawalpur-city-longitude/LatLongHistory/348522.aspx
[8]	Tatagar, M.H., Mohankumar, H.D., Shivaprasad, M. and Mesta, R.K. (2009) Bio-Efficacy of Flubendamide 20 WG Against Chilli Fruit Borer Helicoverpa armigera (Hub.) and Spodoptera litura (Fb.). Karnataka Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 22, 579-581.
[9]	Ravi, M., Santharam, G. and Sathiah, N. (2008) Ecofriendly Management of Tomato Fruit Borer Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner). Journal of Biopesticides, 1, 134-138.
[10]	Infonet (2014) Losses by Helicoverpa armigera. http://www.infonet-biovision.org/default/ct/113/crops accessed on 22-7-2014
[11]	Kard, B., Shelton, K. and Luper, C. (2014) Pesticide Applicator Certification Series Toxicity of Pesticides, Oklahama Cooperative Extension Services, EPP-7457. Oklahoma State University, Oklahoma, USA. http://osufacts.okstate.edu