Integrated management of fruit borer complex in brinjal using IPM module

Abstract:

Brinjal shoot and fruit borer (Leucinodes orbonalis Guenée) destroys 30-50% of marketable fruit in the Philippines, and heavy reliance on synthetic insecticides has triggered resistance build-up and consumer safety concerns. A field experiment conducted during wet season 2022 and 2023 at Muñoz, Nueva Ecija, compared five management strategies for the borer complex: untreated control, chemical spray alone (cypermethrin 25 EC at 0.5 mL L⁻¹), bio-agent alone (Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki at 2 mL L⁻¹), trap crop (castor border rows), and a multi-component IPM module combining pheromone traps, neem oil sprays, Trichogramma chilonis releases, Bt sprays, and infested-shoot clipping. The trial was laid out in a randomised block design with three replications. Across both seasons, the IPM module recorded the lowest mean fruit infestation (11.2%) and the highest healthy fruit yield (26.7 t ha⁻¹), representing a 73.1% reduction in infestation and a 115% yield increase over the control. Chemical spray ranked second (infestation 18.1%), but left detectable cypermethrin residues on fruit. These results confirm that a multi-tactic IPM approach can replace calendar-based insecticide sprays in brinjal without sacrificing yield.