Management of Gram Pod Borer, Helicoverpa armigera Hub. in Chickpea in Saran District, Bihar, India

Field experiment was conducted for management of gram pod borer in chickpea during rabi season in 2019/20 and 2020/21. Two technologies, namely two times spray of profenophose 50 EC, and the use pheromone trap at flowering time and spray of spinosad 45 SC @ 50% practices of spraying quinalphos in eight farmers’ field using variety “BG-372”. The results of two years pooled data revealed that the use pheromone trap at flowering time and spraying of spinosad 45 SC @ 50% pod formation were the most effective against gram pod borer management. The least per cent pod infestation (1.75%) was recorded in these technologies followed by the per cent pod infestation recorded (2.74%) in two times spray of profenophos 50 EC at 50% flowering and pod formation stage. The highest pod infestation was recorded (7.82%) in farmers’ practices. Similarly, maximum grain yield (14.84 q/ha) was recorded in using pheromone trap at flowering and spraying spinosad 45 SC @ 50% pod formation stages followed by the yield record in spraying profenophos 50 EC (12.26 q/ha) and the yield record in farmers’ practices (9.42 q/ha). The cost benefit analysis showed that the net return and benefit cost ratio was also higher in using pheromone trap and spraying spinosad 45 SC (₹ 52763/ha and 2.48:1) than the net return and benefit cost ratio in the farmers’ practices (₹ 28544/ha and 1.55:1), respectively.