Seasonal Incidence of <i>Leucinodes orbonalis</i> (Guenee.) on Brinjal and Evaluation of Insecticides and Biopesticides

The Current study investigated the seasonal incidence of the brinjal shoot and fruit borer, Leucinodes orbonalis and the effectiveness of selected insecticides and biopesticides. Peak shoot infestation reached 32.38 larvae/ plant by the third week of February (7th SMW),while fruit infestation peaked at 40.49 per plant in the second week of February (6th SMW). Shoot infestation correlated positively with maximum temperature (r=0.55*) and negatively with evening relative humidity (r=-0.74**) and rainfall (r=-0.53*). Fruit infestation showed a strong negative correlation with evening relative humidity (r=-0.79***). Among the evaluated pesticides, Spinosad 45 SC was the most effective, reducing infestations to 9.58% for shoots and 8.56% for fruits, with a cost-benefit ratio of 1:13.5. This research contributes to understanding pest dynamics with season in brinjal cultivation, promoting sustainable production and profitability through effective pest management strategies.