Biointensive Management of Pod Borer, Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner) (Lepidoptera:Noctuidae) on Chickpea Crop

A field experiment was conducted on the farm of Department of Entomology, Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth, Akola to evaluate suitable cost effective combinations of microbial insecticides, plant product and reduced dose of insecticide in an integrated manner for management of Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner) on chickpea, Pooled data on per cent larval reduction after second spray revealed significant superiority of HaNPV alternated with endosulfan (0.07%) at fifteen days after spraying (92.61) and mixed spray of HaNPV with half the recommended dose of endosulfan (88.16), Higher grain yield of 18.47 q/ha and 17.97 q/ha, repectively was also recorded in the same treatments, found on par with each other. In case of pod damage, combination treatment of HaNPV with half the recommended dose of endosulfan recorded minimum pod damage (6.40%). However, HaNPV alternated with endosulfan (0.07%) recorded economic returns of 1:10.14, Thus there is a possibility of alternating HaNPV with chemical insecticides for the effective management of pod borer in chickpea.