Efficacy of insecticides against chickpea pod borer (Helicoverpa armigera) at Sodo district Gurage Zone, Southern Ethiopia

Abstract

Pod borer is a major insect pest constraining chickpea production in southern Ethiopia.  This experiment was then conducted in the Sodo district with the objective to evaluate the efficacy of different insecticides for the control of pod borer of chickpeas. The experiment was conducted using one chickpea variety; Habru and five insecticides Diaznon (1.2l/ha), Diamethoate (1L/ha), Apron star (600g with 500l of water ha^-1), Endosulfan (250g/ha) and Karate (400ml/ha). The result revealed that all insecticides were effective against pod borer with differences in the percent of larval population reduction. The pod borer damage reduction by insecticide treatment ranged from 35.4% to 68.6 % and 39.5% to 76.7% compared to that in control.  Diazinon and Karate resulted in a maximum seed yield of  1561.20 kg/ha and 1498.90 kg/ha, in 2017 and 1391.40kg/ha, 1421.29 kg/ha in 2019,  respectively. The highest larval reduction was obtained from a plot treated with Diaznon followed by Karate 5% EC 68.6%, 64% during the 2017 cropping season respectively and in the 2019 cropping season highest larval reduction was obtained from a plot treated with insecticide Karate 5% EC 76.7% followed by Diaznon treated plot 67.2%. In both 2017 and 2019 experimental years better yield increment was recorded from Diaznon and Karate 5% EC treated plot. During the 2017 cropping season, the maximum yield increment was obtained from Diaznon treated plot at 27.3% followed by Karate at 24.2% while in the 2019 cropping season,  Karate 5% EC treated plot yield increased by 32.6%  followed by Diaznon treated plot 31.2%. Thus, chickpea growers in the area should prefer a mix of Karate and Diaznon 5% EC for better pod borer management.

Keywords: Chickpea; Helicoverpa armigera; Insecticides; Pod borer