EVALUATION OF SOME NEW INSECT GROWTH REGULATORS AND INSECTICIDES AGAINST CHILLI FRUIT BORER (Spodoptera litura Fab.)

The efficacy of six new insecticides viz., emamectin benzoate, indoxacarb, methoxyfenozide, novaluron, lufenuron and fipronil against chilli fruit borer (Spodoptera litura Fabr.) was evaluated during rabi, 2006–07. In the field experiment, highest mean reduction of fruit borer population was recorded in novaluron (95.75%) treated plots, followed by fipronil (91.95%), indoxacarb (90.35%), lufenuron (89.75%), emamectin benzoate (87.5%) and methoxyfenozide (86.4%). Relative toxicity of these six insecticides against the third instar larvae of S. litura was evaluated under laboratory conditions. The order of relative toxicity after 24 hours of exposure was emamectin benzoate (144.929) > indoxacarb (93.933) > fipronil (5.410) > novaluron (1.488) > lufenuron (1.037) > methoxyfenozide (1.000). With the increase of exposure time upto 48 hours, all the chemicals showed steady decrease in LC50 values.