Studies on the Insect Pest Management of Fodder Sorghum and Chickpea Cropping Sequence Under Organic Cultivation System

Abstract

The present scenario of insecticide usage in agriculture to combat insect pests newlineillustrate that plant protection under organic production is a challenging task, newlineparticularly for certified organic growers. Therefore, field experiments were carried out newlineto manage major insect pests of fodder sorghum and chickpea cropping sequence newlinespecifically under certified organic cultivation system for two years during kharif and newlinerabi seasons of 2021-22 and 2022-23 at Bio-Resource Farm, Institute of Organic newlineFarming, University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad. The results revealed that, newlineamong various plant products evaluated, Neem Seed Kernel Extract (NSKE) at 5% newlinesignificantly reduced the number of shoot fly eggs (1.87/plant), stem borer and fall newlinearmyworm larval population (3.47 larvae/m row and 1.20 larvae/plant, respectively) and newlineits damage in fodder sorghum. Similarly, NSKE at 5% found very effective in newlinemanaging Helicoverpa armigera population (0.72 larvae/m row) with minimum pod newlinedamage (11.75 %) in chickpea. Likewise, panchagavya at 3% + NSKE at 5% newlineeffectively managed oviposition by shoot fly, with successful reduction in stem borer newlineand fall armyworm larval population (3.00 larvae/m row and 1.00 larvae/plant, newlinerespectively) in fodder sorghum and proved to be statistically superior by reducing newlinelarval population (0.66 larvae/m row) and pod damage (10.21 %) caused by H. newlinearmigera in chickpea. Among indigenous treatments, chilli garlic aqueous extract at newline3% recorded significantly lower shoot fly eggs with least dead hearts (15.48 %). newlineHowever, vermiwash at 2.5% + cow urine at 5% reduced larval population of stem newlineborer and fall armyworm (3.40 larvae/m row and 1.12/plant, respectively) compared to newlineother treatments in fodder sorghum. In chickpea, chilli garlic aqueous extract at 3% newlinefound statistically superior with least H. armigera population of 0.95 larvae/m row and lower pod damage (10.10 %). Among organic amendments tested, plots incorporated newlinewith neem cake alone at 2.5 t/ha registered statistically lower shoot fly damage (5.23 % newlinedead hear