COMPARATIVE BIOEFFICACY OF NEWER INSECTICIDES AGAINST TOMATO FRUIT BORER, HELICOVERPA ARMIGERA (HUBNER) ON TOMATO CROP UNDER FIELD CONDITIONS

Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is a polyphagous pest and is considered as the most important limiting factor in successful cultivation of tomato. The notorious pest causes huge yield losses even up to 70% by boring in tomato fruits and the damaged fruits rot or ripen prematurely. There have been reports of existence of some predators and parasitoids in field for its natural control however their manipulation to a successful crop management is still awaited. Globally insecticides have been intensively used to overcome this pest in field crops. 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, six insecticides from the new chemistries Radiant 12%SC (spintoram), Tracer 240SC (spinosad), Emamectin benzoate 5%SG (emamectin), Lufenuron 5%EC (lufenuron), Coragen 20SC (chlorantraniliprole) and Challenger 36%SC (chlorofenapyr) which are relatively safer to human and environment were tested on tomato crop heavily infested by this pest at Vegetable Research Sub Station, Multan,Punjab,Pakistan. The percentage mortality was compared after 03, 05 and 07 days of spray and all the treatments were compared with control as well as with one another. The results reveal that among the bioinsecticides Radiant 12%SC (spintoram) and Tracer 240SC (spinosad) proved to be most effective by exhibiting average maximum percentage mortality of the pest up to seven days after treatment where as among the chemical insecticides Lufenuron 5%EC (lufenuron) proved to be most effective. Therefore these bioinsecticides and the chemical insecticide against Helicoverpa armigera can be best fitted in the IPM program for control of the pest.