Fall armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda was recently introduced pest in India causing more damage to sorghum, maize and other C4 plants. Larvae of the fall armyworm damages the whorl portion of the sorghum plants and causes window pane like symptoms on leaves which reduces the photosynthetic activity of leaves and reduces the yield of the plants. The contributions I made in the study was application of insecticides on the whorl region of the plant because the larvae mostly concentrated on this region. The investigation was carried out under field conditions at Sorghum Research Unit, Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth, Akola during kharif 2022. The least damage score was recorded in treatment Beauveria bassiana spray at 20 DAE followed with chlorantraniliprole spray. The low plant damage at 45, 60 and 75 DAE was recorded in treatment chlorantraniliprole spray at 20 DAE followed with emamectin benzoate spray at 30 DAE and emamectin benzoate spray at 20 DAE followed with chlorantraniliprole spray at 30 DAE. Similarly, the average plant damage was minimum recorded in chlorantraniliprole spray at 20 DAE followed with emamectin benzoate spray at 30 DAE and in treatment emamectin benzoate spray at 20 DAE followed with chlorantraniliprole spray at 30 DAE. The highest grain yield and fodder yield were recorded in treatment emamectin benzoate spray at 20 DAE followed with chlorantraniliprole spray at 30 DAE and grain yield and fodder yield in this was on par with yield in chlorantraniliprole spray at 20 DAE followed in emamectin benzoate spray at 30 DAE. The highest incremental cost benefit ratio (ICBR) was recorded in treatment chlorantraniliprole spray at 20 DAE followed with emamectin benzoate 5 spray at 30 DAE with 1:5.97 followed by 1:5.93 in treatment emamectin benzoate spray at 20 DAE followed with chlorantraniliprole spray at 30 DAE.

Sorghum, fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda

Emamectin benzoate 5% SG @ 4.0 g/10 lit and chlorantraniliprole 18.5% SC @ 4.0 ml/10 lit effectively manage fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda and reduce the plant damage. Biopesticide Beauveria bassiana was cheaper and hence incurred least expenditure on spray application but least effective against Spodoptera frugiperda. Emamectin benzoate 5% SG @ 4.0 g/10 lit spray at 20 DAE followed by chlorantraniliprole 18.5% SC @ 4.0 ml/10 lit spray at 30 DAE and vice versa increases the grain and fodder yield. The spray applications with Emamectin benzoate 5% SG @ 4.0 g/10 lit spray at 20 DAE followed by chlorantraniliprole 18.5% SC @ 4.0 ml/10 lit spray at 30 DAE and vice versa increases gross income and gives higher incremental cost benefit. Beauveria bassiana (1×108 CFU/g) @ 50 ml/10 lit spray at 20 DAE followed by emamectin benzoate 5% SG @ 4.0 g/10 lit at 30 DAE and vice versa is the next option which helps in reducing the use of chemical insecticides and gives better incremental cost benefits.

Sudarshan Bandi, V. U. Sonalkar, D. B. Undirwade, P. N. Mane, R. B. Ghorade, Dose Janhavi G. and E. Ambika (2023). Management of Fall Armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda in Kharif Sorghum. Biological Forum – An International Journal, 15(11): 256-262.