Effect of different intercropping systems on the percent pod damage of gram pod borer, Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner) infesting chickpea

A field experiment on the effect of different intercropping systems on the incidence of gram pod borer, Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner) in chickpea was carried out during Rabi, 2022-23 and Rabi, 2023-24 at experimental farm, Rajasthan College of Agriculture, Udaipur (Rajasthan). The four treatments of intercrop with gram viz. wheat, barley, mustard, coriander, & oat, one marigold (border crop) and one sole crop of gram were evaluated. The results revealed that lowest overall mean per cent pod damage was recorded in chickpea + marigold (14.23 per cent) border crop followed by chickpea + mustard (18.68per cent) and chickpea + coriander (19.22 per cent) inter crop which were significantly at par with each other while the highest per cent pod damage was recorded in sole chickpea (29.40 per cent). The highest per cent pod damage reduction over control was observed in chickpea + marigold (51.64 per cent) followed by chickpea + mustard (36.46per cent) and chickpea + coriander (34.61 per cent)intercropped and lowest was recorded in chickpea + wheat (17.99per cent) intercropped.