PLANT CELL BIOTECHNOLOGY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY

Helicoverpa armigera [Hubner] is the most devastating chickpea pest responsible for substantial yield loss. Productivity losses by gram pod borer range from 20 to 90 percent depending upon the severity of insect attack. The experiment involving five synthetic new chemistry insecticides viz; chlorantraniliprole 200 SC, spinosad 240 SC, flubendiamide 480 SC, lufenuron 50 EC and emamectin benzoate 1.9 % EC was carried out at Gram Breeding Research Station, Kallurkot (Pakistan) to determine their relative efficacy against larvae of H. armigera during rabi 2019-20 and 2020-21. Results revealed that during 2019-20, T₁ (chlorantraniliprole treated plots) showed least larval population of H.armigera i.e. 2.96, 2.06, 1.19 and 0.82 after 1, 3, 5 and 7 days of sprays respectively. Similarly, minimum pod damage (4.3 %) and highest reduction in pod damage (76.11%) were recorded in T₁ plots followed by T₂ and T₃. Likewise, during 2020-21 lowest number of H.armigera (2.56, 1.86, 1.02 and 0.53 after 1, 3, 5 and 7 days of spray) and minimum pod damage (5.2) were recorded in T₁. Data also revealed that the highest grain yield 1652 and 1710 kg ha^-1 during first and second year respectively was also recorded in T₁ (chlorantraniliprole treated plots). Therefore, chlorantraniliprole may be treated as most effective insecticide for the management of H. armigera.