Screening the Varietal Resistance and Mating Disruption Management of Cotton Bollworm Helicoverpa armigera and Pectinophora gossipyilla at Sibi Balochistan

Abstract

Cotton bollworms cause huge losses and are mainly controlled through the synthetic chemicals, however, chemical control does not always effective due to the larvae’s obscure feeding habit. Therefore, varietal resistance and insect mating disruption by using of sex pheromone and light traps were used in present research. The results revealed overall highest seasonal population of Helicoverpa armigera (3.75±0.37) on cotton SS-32 variety, followed by (2.41±0.17), (2.35±0.21), and (2.00±0.19), IUB-13, Nayab-878, and J-5 Pectinophora gossypiella (3.00 ± 0.72) on cotton variety Nayab-878 followed by population of 2.99±0.27, 2.50±0.31, and 1.65±0.22 on cotton varieties J-5, SS-32 and IUB-13 respectively. In addition, maximum yield production was recorded from J-5 (1025 kg ha-1), followed by Nayab-878 (962 kg ha-1) and IUB-13 (835 kg ha-1), respectively. Results, of field trials revealed overall H. armigera (61.25±5.28/15 sex pheromone traps ha^-1) followed by (37.45±6.28/10 ha^-1) and (20.79 ± 4.28 /6 ha^-1) and P. gossipyilla (58.08±7.58 ha^-1) followed by (45.41±4.88/10 ha^-1) and (31.45±3.28/6 ha^-1) were captured, respectively. Further, lowest infestation level of H. armigera (2.25±0.28%/15 sex pheromone traps ha^-1) followed by (6.60±0.80 %/10 ha^-1), (6.60±0.80% /10 ha^-1) and (20.45±4.80% control plots) and P. gossipyilla (2.10±0.21 %/15 ha^-1) followed by (7.41±0.96 %/10 ha^-1), (9.45±0.98 % /10 ha^-1) and (19.15 ± 4.87 % control plots) were recorded, respectively. On the other hand, maximum number of H. armigera (24.30±4.35 /8 light traps ha^-1) followed by (22.00±3.30/6 ha^-1) and (17.50±3.12 /4 ha^-1) were recorded and P. gossipyilla (24.00±4.28 /6 ha^-1) followed by (21.00±3.40 /8 ha^-1) and (20.15±2.70 /4 ha^-1) were caught, respectively. As results, the lowest infestation level by H. armigera (7.60±1.12 % /6 light traps ha^-1) followed by (8.25±1.20 % /8 ha^-1), and (10.79±1.80 % /4 ha^-1) and (20.45±4.80 % control plots) and P. gossipyilla (6.10±0.90 % /8 ha^-1) followed by (7.45±1.15 % /6 ha^-1), (8.40±1.38 % /4 ha^-1) and (19.15±4.87% control plots) were recorded, respectively. Taken to gather, 10 or 15 sex pheromone traps/hectare and 6 and 10 light traps/ hectare should be installed in cotton crop to reduce the population frequency of bollworm and crop damage tendency in the cotton field for the better production.