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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Byron, Georgia » Fruit and Tree Nut Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #393373
Research Project: Novel Approaches for Managing Key Pests of Peach and Pecan

Location: Fruit and Tree Nut Research

Title: Microbes, dodonaea viscosa and chlorantraniliprole as components of helicoverpa armigera IPM program: A three region open-field study

Author
item WAKIL, WAQAS - University Of Agriculture - Pakistan
item TAHIR, MUHAMMAD - University Of Agriculture - Pakistan
item GHAZANFAR, MUHAMMAD - University Of Agriculture - Pakistan
item QAYYUM, MIZRA - University Of Agriculture - Pakistan
item YASIN, MUHAMMAD - Islamia University Of Bahawalpur
item MAQSOOD, SUMAIRA - University Of Agriculture - Pakistan
item ASRAR, MUHAMMAD - Government College Women University Faisalabad
item Shapiro Ilan, David

Submitted to: Agronomy Journal
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/27/2022
Publication Date: 8/17/2022
Citation: Wakil, W., Tahir, M., Ghazanfar, M., Qayyum, M., Yasin, M., Maqsood, S., Asrar, M., Shapiro Ilan, D.I. 2022. Microbes, dodonaea viscosa and chlorantraniliprole as components of helicoverpa armigera IPM program: A three region open-field study. Agronomy Journal. 12 : 1928. https://doi.org/agronomy12081928.

Interpretive Summary: The old world bollworm also known as the tomato fruitworm (species name = Helicoverpa armigera) is a major pest of vegetables including tomato. Chemical pesticides that are often used to control this pest can cause harm to humans and the environment. Therefore, alternative methods of control are needed. We tested reduced rates of a chemical insecticide in combination with two natural control agents, a fungus that kills insects and a virus. The fungus and virus do not harm humans or the environment. Based on experiments conducted in tomato fields, results indicated that combination treatments were very promising, and the virus-pesticide combination was the most effective. Therefore, combining the virus with reduced rates of chemical insecticide could lead to more sustainable and efficacious methods of killing the tomato fruitworm.

Technical Abstract: Field trials were conducted on the efficacy of different control options against Helicoverpa armigera on tomato. We evaluated and compared pest control, safety to natural enemies, crop yield and economics of application for various treatments including: a mycoinsecticide based on Beauveria bassiana; a baculovirus, Helicoverpa armigera nucleopolyhedrosis virus (HaNPV); a plant extract from Dodonaea viscosa; and the insecticide chlorantraniliprole (Coragen®). Trial sites were located in Bahawalpur, Faisalabad and Rawalpindi regions in Punjab, Pakistan. A combined application of HaNPV + chlorantraniliprole was better than all other treatments in reducing pest larval popula-tions and fruit damage, and in increasing crop yield. The least effective control was with D. viscosa but plots treated with this plant extract also had the greatest number of natural enemies. Treatment with HaNPV + chlorantraniliprole resulted in the fewest natural enemies at all observation times and in all field sites, but the highest yields, varying from 42.8 – 46.6 tons ha-1, and the highest cost:benefit ratios of 1:1.74 – 1:1.81. Our findings suggest that a combined application of a specific microbial agent and an insecticide effectively controls H. armigera, increases tomato yield, reduces costs and maximizes economic returns. This open-field study concludes that all of the micoroor-ganisms and other treatments have the potential to combat tomato fruitworm populations, and could be used in the successful integrated pest management program