Light traps based-control threshold: An alternative method for hot pepper pests’ management

Crop damage-based control threshold of 12.5% has been used to reduce the excessive use of insecticides while controlling Spodoptera litura and Helicoverpa armigera in hot peppers (Capsicum annuum L.) cultivation systems.However, it is necessary to develop an easy, practical, inexpensive control threshold to increase farmer eagerness in reducing pesticide use.The study aimed to evaluate a light trap captured based-control threshold for both hot pepper pests.The activity was conducted at Lembang (ca.1250 m a.s.l.), West Java, Indonesia, from September 2022 to April 2023.Six treatments and four replicates were arranged in a randomized block design.The treatments included the use of four light trap captured based-control thresholds, i.e., 30, 25, 20, and 15 moth trap -1 wk -1 ; crop damage based-control threshold of 12.5%; and once per week insecticide application as a control treatment.The study found that the implementation of pests' control threshold of 25 moth trap -1 wk -1 could reduce 75% insecticide use compared to the plant damage-based control threshold.The use of this approach could maintain high crop production and generate a return rate of 1.26.The findings will be beneficial for farmers in reducing insecticide use.