STATUS OF THE SAPOTA LEAF WEBBER AND BUD BORER Nephopteryx eugraphella Ragonot IN TAMIL NADU

Nephupteryx eugraphella Ragonot (Pyralidae : Lepidoptera) causes damage to  leaves and buds in sapota. In order to assess the seasonal incidence and damage potential in different  agro » climatic zones of Tamil Nadu, fixed plot and roving surveys were conducted from 1994 to  1996. In fixed plot survey, highest bud damage was observed during June (7.27%) followed by  September (7.17%) and March (7.05) while least damage was recorded during May (4.63%). In  roving survey, maximum leaf (25.00 %) and bud (l9.00%) damages were recorded in southern  Zone of Tamil N adu. In the three field trials conducted to study the efficacy of insecticides against  N. eugraphella, Carbaryl (0.1%) and Neem seed kernel extract (5%) checked the bud damage  effectively and recorded high Cost : Benefit ratio.