An approach for site-specific assessment of pod borer management in chickpea

Chickpea is an important legume widely consumed in India. It also plays an important role in sustainable agriculture enriching the soil through biological nitrogen-fixation. The gram pod borer (Helicoverpa armigera) is a major pest of chickpea accounting for 75 percent pod damage in the crop. The pod borer pest, collar rot and wilt pathogen constitute a major constraint to increase production. The on-farm trial (OFT) were undertaken by Mahayogi Gorakhnath Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Gorakhpur of Uttar Pradesh on the improved package and practices of chickpea in the district for the two consecutive years viz. 2017-18 and 2018-19 at the farmers field including control. Different integrated pest management (IPM) components i.e. proper tillage, line sowing and inter cropping with coriander/linseed, HYV GNG 1581, seed treatment with Carbendazim @ 2gm/kg of seed for management of collar rot and spray of indoxacarb 15.8% EC @ 1ml/liter water at 50% flowering and at 50% pod filling stage were comprised during 2017-18 and same technology with Emamectinbenzoate 5% SG @ 0.4 gm/litre water at 50% flowering and at 50% pod filling stage were also comprised during 2018-19 under on farm trial.The performance of improved technology was found most effective in controlling least number of affected plants/m2 as well as least number of pods/plants. The average per cent reduction in affected plant/m2 and affected pod/plantin chickpeawere recorded 43.65and 48.42 per cent respectively. The application of IPM strategies recorded mean grain yield of 17.28 which was 43.13 per cent more over farmers practice. The integrated approaches gave higher mean net returns of Rs. 48437/ha in chickpea which was 55.12 per cent more over farmers practices. On an average benefit cost ratio 3.34 was found under demonstrated technologies while it was 2.83 in farmer’s practices. It was much encouraging to the farming communities and paved the way for implementation and evaluation at grass root level.