Comparative Evaluation of Different Baffle Plates in Light Traps to Lure Major Phototactic Insect Pests of Rabi Season

The present investigation was carried out at the BSP (Breeder Seed Production) Farm, Adhartal, JNKVV, Jabalpur (MP) during rabi (15th November 2023 to 15th April 2024) season of 2023-2024. Two light trap designs were used in study viz. Electrical light trap with acrylic transparent sheet baffle plates (T2) and Electrical light trap with galvanized iron sheet baffle plates (T3). Light traps were operated every evening and insect pest collection was observed every morning for the duration of the investigation for 12 species viz., Helicoverpa armigera, Agrotis ipsilon, Creatonotus gengis, Spodoptera litura, Gryllus bamaculatus, Gryllotalpa orientalis, Nezara viridula, Amata cyssea, Asota carica Perina nuda, Thysanoplusia orichalcea and Theretra oldenlandiae. Analysis of data revealed that electrical light trap with acrylic transparent baffle sheet plates outperformed the galvanized iron baffle sheet plates in terms of trapping efficacy for most of the pest species tested. The acrylic transparent plates with larger illumination area resulted in a higher capture rate, making them a superior design of light trap for insect collection.