Review on integrated management of brinjal shoots and fruit borer, Leucinodes orbonalis (Guenee)

Abstract

Eggplant Solanum melongena is one of the most important vegetables of south Asia. It is the most important vegetable of hot and wet climatic zones. It is commercially very profitable vegetable crop to farmers. It has a wide range of bio chemicals, minerals, vitamins, proteins, calcium and phosphorus. Several insect pests attack the brinjal crop among those, Leucinodes orbonalis is the most obnoxious, destructive damaging pest to the brinjal .It is a key pest of brinjal, causes damage to shoots buds stems and fruits. Larva of this pest is the damaging stage to brinjal crop. Larvae bore inside the shoots petioles and fruits and reduce the crop yields up to 80% damage to fruits has been identified. This sitsuation has posed a hindrance to the farmers in commercial cultivation of eggplant; hence relevant literatures were collected, studied and reviewed regarding biology and management of borer. Available management tools are not being enough to control the population of this pest and in such condition it is needful to have a holistic approach towards IPM practices. In this article, several control measures for L. orbonalis including resistant varieties, cultural methods, physical and mechanical barriers, sex pheromones, bio-pesticides and bio-control agents; chemical and botanical means are outlined and evaluated with supportive facts and figures with reference to previous works and researches in this area.