Efficacy of Emamectin benzoate 5WG against podborer complex in redgram

Redgram is attacked by more than 250 species of insects, of which Helicoverpa armigera, Maruca vitrata and Etiella zinckenella are the most important polyphagous pests in both tropics and sub-tropics because of their extensive host range, destructiveness and distribution on cowpea, mungbean, urdbean and field bean. Emamectin benzoate which is a semi synthetic derivative of avermectin produced as fermentation metabolites of soil actinomycetes, Streptomyces avermitilis and has both stomach and contact action. Three rounds of spraying of Emamectin benzoate 5 WG @ 125 g/ha, at 10 days interval starting from 120 days after dibbling was effective in reducing the larval population of H. armigera (5.81 nos./10 plants; 84.26% and 4.93 nos./10 plants; 85.67%), M. vitrata (4.52 nos./10 plants; 85.00 and 4.30 nos./10 plants; 86.23%) and E. zinckenella (4.26 nos./10 plants; 85.71 and 4.33 nos./10 plants; 85.47%) as against untreated control (38.11 and 36.85 nos./10 plants; 30.85 and 33.74 nos./10 plants and 30.22 and 31.11 nos./10 plants) in the first and second season field experiments. It does not have harmful effect on parasitoids and predators in redgram eco-system.