Evaluation of Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.) Pest Control Strategies and Cost-Benefit Analysis

Abstract

A field study on integrated pest management of okra insect pests was conducted at the Plant Pathology Research Institute, Ayub Agriculture Research Institute, in collaboration with the Department of Entomology, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, during the 2022 crop season. Rama Krishma, a variety of okra, was sown using the Randomized Complete Block Design with four replications and employing the drilling technique and agronomical practices. Significant differences (P0.05) in insect pest populations, namely whitefly, jassid, thrips, aphids, Helicoverpa, and spotted bollworm, were observed across various treatments. The pest populations of all these insects progressively decreased with treatment applications, and post-treatment measurements were taken 48 hours after each spray. The minimum mean populations of aphids (2.01/leaf), thrips (0.15/leaf), jassids (1.86/leaf), and spotted bollworm (2.41/plant) were recorded with the application of the biosal treatment, followed by Helicoverpa (1.25/plant) and whitefly (0.13/leaf) populations, which were observed in plots treated with tobacco extract and Chrysoperla + Trichogramma, respectively. The maximum mean populations of Formicomus antiqumus (0.55), Laius malleifer (0.17), Orius bugs (0.56), Trichogramma chilonis (Ishii) (20.41), Chrysoperla carnea (0.31), ladybird beetles (0.69), ants (0.79), and spiders (0.89) were recorded in the Chrysoperla + Trichogramma treated plots, indicating the safety of this bio-pesticide for predatory populations. Analysis of yield attributing parameters revealed that biosal-treated plots exhibited the highest values for several factors, including the maximum number of fruits per plant (19.57), number of flowers (8.75), squares (18.34), plant height (42.36 cm), and number of branches per plant (3.73). Furthermore, the cost-benefit ratios for okra plants were highest for treatments involving tobacco extract and natural enemies, with ratios of 1:16.3 and 1:10.6, respectively. The application of biosal after treatment demonstrated superior efficacy as a control approach compared to alternative treatments