Untreated Plots Research Articles

Among the nematodes that damage vegetable crops, root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.) and reniform nematodes (Rotylenchulus reniformis) are the most widespread and economically significant. Root-knot nematodes are sedentary endoparasites inducing galls that disrupt water and nutrient uptake, while reniform nematodes establish feeding sites within root tissue, impairing plant vigor. This report evaluates the efficacy of a relatively new nematicide, fluazaindolizine, for managing these nematode populations in ‘Clemson Spineless’ okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.) in a vegetable grower field in Homestead, South Florida. The trial was conducted from May to August 2024. Results indicate no significant reduction in nematode populations in treated versus untreated plots, highlighting the complexity of fluazaindolizine efficacy in nematode management under specific soil and environmental conditions.

Chemical management method is still being adopted majorly for suppression of leafhoppers in India. Indiscriminate use of repeated chemicals may result in development of insect resistance and poor efficacy in reduction of insect population. A field study was conducted during kharif, 2020-21 at S.V. Agricultural College, Tirupati (dry land farm) to evaluate the effectiveness of novel insecticides viz., Thiacloprid, Thiamethoxam, Spinosad, Spiromesifen, Diafenthiuron, Dinotefuran, Flonicamid and Pymetrozine against sesame leafhoppers. Results indicated that the highest per cent reduction of leafhopper population was recorded in pymetrozine treated plots (90.73%) followed by dimethoate (79.42%) and thiamethoxam (78.80%). Spinosad and spiromesifen recorded lowest per cent reduction over untreated plot when compared to other treatments and were found least effective in managing leafhopper population.

Timely and accurate monitoring of weed infestation is essential for optimizing herbicide application in rice cultivation, particularly within site-specific weed management (SSWM) strategies. Conventional blanket spraying remains widely adopted by farmers, resulting in excessive herbicide usage and increased costs. This study presents a deep learning-based change detection approach to evaluate the temporal dynamics of broadleaved weed infestation in paddy fields. Multispectral imagery was collected using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) over PadiU Putra rice fields, and a Deep Feedforward Neural Network (DFNN) was developed to classify three land cover types: paddy, soil, and broadleaved weeds during the vegetative stage. Post-classification comparison was applied to assess weed infestation rates across multiple Days After Sowing (DAS). The analysis revealed a consistent increase in weed coverage within untreated plots, with infestation rates rising from 40.95% at 34 DAS to 47.43% at 48 DAS, while treated plots remained largely controlled. The change detection maps further enabled estimation of potential herbicide savings through targeted application, indicating a possible reduction of up to 40.95% at 34 DAS. However, continued weed growth reduced this to 37.06%, with an R² of 0.9487, indicating a strong negative correlation between weed coverage and herbicide-saving potential. These findings demonstrate the potential of integrating UAV-based multispectral imaging with deep learning for temporal weed monitoring and precision agriculture applications.

In a two-year study (2023–2024), field experiments were conducted at a location where onion fly (Delia antiqua [Meigen]) and onion thrips (Thrips tabaci Lindeman) are permanent pests. The objective of the study was to investigate independent and combined application (synergistic effect) of environmentally acceptable methods (biological and biotechnical control methods) of controlling these pests on onions. Seven treatments were tested, including a positive control (chemical control) and a negative control (untreated plots), as well as various combinations of environmentally friendly approaches, such as entomopathogenic fungi and nematodes, white clover intercropping, and colored sticky boards with lures. The onion fly caused greater damage and subsequent bulb loss than the onion thrips in both years, despite white clover (as independent application) as an intercrop, and the combined application of white clover and entomopathogens proved to be most effective against thrips and fly damage, ultimately resulting in a suboptimal onion yield of less than 7 tons per hectare annually. It is evident that environmentally acceptable control methods were experiencing challenges in either reducing the extent of damage caused by both pests or increasing the yield of healthy bulbs. It is unfortunate that, despite observing an increased yield of healthy bulbs in certain treatments, a significant quantity of bulbs was also lost due to onion fly.

Medium-term response of soil bacterial communities to two post-fire management strategies after a large wildfire.

A field experiment was conducted in Lithuania over three growing seasons (2021–2023) to evaluate the effects of sowing time, seeding rate, and insecticide application on grain damage caused by Bruchus rufimanus , as well as on grain yield and quality. The experiment included both insecticide-treated and untreated plots, along with three seeding rates and three sowing times. Early sowing resulted in the highest grain damage (46.5%), attributed to phenological synchronization with peak weevil oviposition, while late sowing reduced damage by 18.6%. Insecticide application significantly reduced grain damage and increased yield, though the extent of yield improvement depended on sowing time. Overall, seeding rate had minimal influence on yield and pest pressure, although significant variation in grain damage among seeding rates was observed in untreated plots in 2021. Crude protein content (CP) was unaffected by seeding rate but showed inter-annual variation, likely due to environmental conditions. At the optimal sowing time (late April), faba bean yield remained consistently high, and insecticide application had limited impact on yield improvement. Relatively low grain damage under these conditions suggests that insecticide use may be reduced or eliminated. These findings underscore the importance of integrating optimal sowing time with targeted insecticide application to maximize faba bean yield and minimize grain damage in Lithuania.

Sheath rot (Sarocladium oryzae) of rice causes significant grain yield losses, warranting integrated, cost effective and eco-friendly management. With limited availability of highly resistant varieties, combining resistant / moderately resistant varieties with judicious and need based application of fungicides is a practical alternative. However, scarce information is available on the extent of yield losses in varieties with varied levels of resistance. This study evaluated yield losses in terms of 1000 grain weight (TGW) in rice varieties with varying resistance levels to sheath rot under protected conditions using fungicide azoxystrobin (11%) + tebuconazole (13.8%). It was observed that the differences in disease severity, AUDPC values and TGW loss were mainly attributed to the interaction effects among the treatment i.e. fungicide sprayed (protected) and fungicide non-sprayed (unprotected) treatment, and varieties & between varieties and years (P < 0.001). Plots with fungicidal application had a mean disease severity of 5.60% compared to 25.46% in untreated plots. Protected plots had a mean TGW of 24.80 g compared with 20.59 g in unprotected plots, reflecting a significant differences . Fungicide applications resulted in reduction of mean disease severity of 100, 74.03–97.57, 69.62–80.92, and 72.29–73.95% in resistant, moderately resistant, susceptible and highly susceptible varieties, respectively. A strong positive correlation was observed between disease severity and TGW loss during the cropping season 2019, 2020 and pooled data. The grain yield was enhanced, and crop loss models indicated good fitness with excellent predictive validity for estimating sheath rot impacts. As the first systematic assessment in northern region of India to systematically assess the impact of rice sheath rot. Its findings provide crucial insights into the interaction between fungicide treatments, varietal resistance, and disease dynamics, paving the way for more informed and effective management strategies in the region.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1038/s41598-025-05104-y.

Introduction: Maize (Zea mays L.), is a member of the Poaceae family. After rice and wheat, it is the third-most significant cereal in India, making up around 9% of the country's total food consumption. Aims: For effective and eco-friendly pest management approach against maize aphid is the necessity of present time to safeguard the natural enemies and pollinators as well as human health. Study design: Randomized block design Place and Duration of Study: Entomology farm, Anand Agricultural University, Anand during rabi 2021-22 Methodology: Field experiment was carried out in an area of 4.8×6.0 m2 on maize var GAYMH-3. There were in all eight treatments including untreated control plots and each treatment were replicated thrice. The first spray of respective bio-pesticides was given at the time of occurrence of aphid and second spray was applied after 15 days of first spray. Number of nymphs/adults were recorded from centre of shoot, inflorescence (tassel) and cob of randomly selected ten plants from each plot before spray and 1,3, 7 and 10 day(s) after first and second spray applications. Results: Among the seven biopesticides studied against corn leaf aphid, on tassel Lecanicillium lecanii 1.15% WP conclude most effective followed by Metarhizium anisopliae 1.15% WP and Beauveria bassiana 5% WP and similarly, on cob L. lecanii 1.15% WP found most effective followed by M. anisopliae 1.15% WP and B. bassiana 5% WP. Further, Plot treated with L. lecanii 1.15% WP, M. anisopliae 1.15% WP and B. bassiana 5% WP gave highest grain yield 5523, 5503, 5462 kg/ha, green fodder yield 7491, 7443 and 7244 kg/ha, dry fodder yield 5977, 5921 and 5705 kg/ha, respectively. For natural enemies; neem oil 1% and neem seed kernel extract 5% found less toxic compared to other treated bio-pesticides to LBB adults on tassel and on cob. Looking to grub, neem seed kernel extract 5%, azadirachtin 0.15% EC and garlic bulb extract 5% noticed less toxic to grubs on tassel and cob. Conclusion: Among the tested biopesticides on aphids the best result in controlling the aphid population were obtained with the treatment of L. lecanii, M. anisopliae and B. bassiana.

Banana production is significantly affected by a range of biotic and abiotic factors, with insect pests being among the most serious biotic threats to successful cultivation. In particular, the defoliator pests Spodoptera litura and the leaf roller Erionota thrax pose considerable challenges to banana farmers. To explore sustainable management strategies, a field study was conducted during 2021 and 2022 in farmers’ fields within the Tungabhadra Command area of Vijayanagar district, Karnataka, India. The objective was to evaluate the effectiveness of selected bioagents and botanicals against these key pests. The experiment consisted of seven treatments, laid out in a randomized block design with three replications. Pooled data across both years showed that the treatment T4 Beauveria bassiana strain UHSB-END1 applied at 10 g per plant as a soil application at 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th months intervals resulted in the lowest leaf infestation by S. litura (1.69%) and E. thrax (1.76%). This was statistically comparable to T3, where B. bassiana was applied during the 5th and 6th months only registered 2.13% and 2.76% infestation, respectively. The next most effective treatments were T2 neem cake @ 250 kg/ha applied at the same monthly intervals (2.57% and 3.71%) and T6 carbofuran 3% G @ 10 g/plant applied at the 5th and 6th months (2.79% and 4.05%). The untreated control plots recorded the highest levels of infestation, underscoring the need for active pest management. Overall, the results highlight the potential of B. bassiana as a promising bioagent for integrated management of banana defoliators under field conditions.

During the rabi seasons of two successive years (2021–2022 and 2022–2023), spanning November to February, the effectiveness of various insecticidal treatment regimes—T1 (spiromesifen), T2 (thiamethoxam), T3 (thiacloprid), T4 (imidacloprid), T5 (cartap hydrochloride), T6 (chlorpyriphos), as well as T7 (untreated control)—was assessed against Agrotis ipsilon (Hufner) on a single potato cultivar, Kufri Jyoti. The highest shoot damage was recorded in the untreated control plot, T7 (10.86–11.26%), while the lowest was observed in T1(5.86–5.89%), followed by T3(6.16-6.48%), T2(6.88–6.98%), T5(7.37–7.68%), T6(8.24–8.86%), and T4(8.66–9.37%). Tuber damage was minimal in T2 (13.25–15.36%) and peaked in the untreated control, T7 (34.19–43.40%). The lowest marketable yield of potato tubers (12.18–13.49 t/ha) was obtained from T7, while T2 produced the highest yield (27.81–28.38 t/ha), closely followed by T1 (26.21–26.72 t/ha). Among all treatments, T6 showed the least favorable cost-benefit ratio (1:1.41–1:1.58), whereas T2 recorded the most favorable ratio (1:2.55–1:2.57). Overall, T1 and T2 proved to be most efficient treatment schedules, significantly enhancing marketable tuber yield and reducing soil pest infestation compared to the control and other treatments.

Simple SummaryIn the agricultural landscapes of Central Europe, hundreds of thousands of roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) fawns are killed annually during meadow harvests. To prevent this particularly unethical mortality of juveniles, wildlife managers employ various protection measures. One common method is to apply odor repellents in high-risk areas before harvest. Here, we evaluated the effect of the odor repellents on treated areas relative to controls without any measures. The abundance of fawns and adult roe deer was assessed before and after odor application using unmanned aerial vehicles equipped with thermal cameras. The results showed that roe deer numbers on treated fields did not differ from those on control meadows without repellents. The expected efficacy was not demonstrated either in the short term (i.e., in the days immediately following application) or over longer intervals of several weeks. The ineffectiveness of odor repellent for protecting roe deer during meadow harvest indicates shortcomings in current practice and underscores the need to adopt alternative methods, such as thermal-imaging drones.In Central Europe, the fawning season of roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) directly overlaps with meadow and alfalfa harvest, typically from late May to early June. During these operations, tens or more likely hundreds of thousands of fawns are mutilated by agricultural machinery. To mitigate this unethical mortality, wildlife managers often deploy odor repellents to drive roe deer individuals from high-risk fields before mowing. Therefore, we evaluated repellent efficacy in a paired design. The abundance of roe deer was quantified by drones equipped with thermal cameras before and after repellent application and then compared with untreated control meadows. Results showed high adult abundance that did not differ significantly among treatments. The highest median was paradoxically observed on meadows “after application” (8.25 ind./10 ha), followed by “not treated” meadows (7.92 ind./10 ha), and “before application” (5.72 ind./10 ha). For fawns, differences between treated and untreated plots were likewise non-significant. Their numbers increased over time after application, consistent with the peak of parturition in the second half of May. Overall, the study confirms that the tested odor repellent, when applied according to the manufacturer’s protocol, did not reduce roe deer presence on meadows. This underscores the need to consider alternative approaches, such as the use of thermal-imaging drones combined with the subsequent translocation of detected fawns to safe locations.

The present study was conducted to study the efficacy of different insecticides against management of both S. litura and E thrax both are defoliator pest of banana. Field experiments were carried out during 2021 and 2022 in farmers' fields located in the Tungabhadra Command area of Vijayanagar district, Karnataka, India. The pooled mean results revealed that stem injection of dinotefuran 20% SG at 30 g in 500 ml of water was the most effective treatment, resulting in the lowest leaf infestation levels by S. litura (3.14%) and E. thrax (2.85%) respectively. This treatment was statistically at par with the application of chlorantraniliprole 0.4% GR at 10 g/plant (3.53% and 3.55% infestation). Other effective treatments included soil application of fipronil 0.6% GR at 10 g/plant (3.90% and 3.89%) and basal application of clothianidin 50% WDG at 0.25 g/plant (3.89% and 3.88%), both of which showed notable reductions in leaf infestation. In contrast, the untreated control plot recorded the highest mean leaf infestation (12.07%), which was significantly greater than all other treatments.

In Ethiopia, faba bean production and productivity are important although they are lower than their potential. Faba bean gall disease caused serious challenges to faba bean production in recent years. This study assessed the efficacy of combining fungicides with various faba bean varieties to control faba bean gall disease in the Tenta and Legambo districts of northeastern Ethiopia during the growing seasons of 2022 and 2023. The experiment included four faba bean varieties (Gora, Dosha, Wolkie, and Local) treated with four fungicides (Mancozeb 80% WP, Matco, Noble 25 WP, and Ridomil Gold MZ 68 WG), along with untreated control plots. The treatments were arranged in a factorial design with three replications in a randomized complete block design. The results revealed that combining different faba bean varieties with fungicides significantly reduced faba bean gall disease and improved yields and yield components across both locations and growing seasons. The combination of the Dosha variety treated with the Noble 25WP chemical fungicide resulted in the lowest disease intensity and the highest yield (3.79 t ha-1). Integrating varieties of Dosha treated with Noble 25WP chemical fungicide across locations and cropping seasons should be applied as a cost-effective and environmentally safe management option.

Phosphorus availability and deficiency poses a major challenge to soil health and national food security in Pakistan, as it directly influences the productivity of pulse crops. Effectively addressing this issue requires the adoption of appropriate phosphorus sources, along with the integration of beneficial microbes such as phosphorus-solubilizing bacteria (PSB), to improve soil fertility and meet the increasing demands of agriculture. The growth and yield of chickpea through phosphorus sources and beneficial microbes were assessed in field experiments conducted at the Agronomy Research Farm, The University of Agriculture, Peshawar, Pakistan, over two consecutive years (2020-21 and 2021-22). The experiment was designed using a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications, involving two factors: poultry manure, rock phosphate, and PSB strains. Chickpea variety Karak-1 with a seed rate of 75 kg ha-1 was sown in the field. The plot size was kept at 3.6 m x 3 m with 12 rows. Poultry manure was applied three weeks before sowing and analyzed, while rock phosphate was applied at the time of sowing. The PSB strains were grown and prepared at the National Agriculture Research Center (NARC) in Islamabad. The phosphorus solubilization bacteria were used in the form of consortia, labeled as Consortia-I, Consortia-II, Consortia-III, Consortia-IV and Consortia-V. The grown bacterial strains were inoculated on the seeds at a rate of 100 ml kg-1 before sowing in the field. The PSB had significantly affected the growth and yield of chickpea. Among the PSB treatments, Consortia-V which contained all bacteria species had significantly influenced nodules plant-1 (7.1), number of pods plant-1(46.1), early (165) days to maturity, higher plant height (54.6 cm), biological yield (5634.7 kg ha-1), and grain yield (1785.6 kg ha-1), as compared to untreated plots. Poultry manure as a phosphorus source had played its role by improving nodules plant-1(5.5), number of pods plant-1(43.), early (167) days to maturity, maximum plant height (51.5 cm) biological yield (5090.5 kg ha-1), and grain yield (1546.9 kg ha-1) as compared to control plots. Interaction between the PSB and phosphorus sources were also achieved significantly.Based on the above findings, it is concluded that the integrated application of PSB (Consortia-V) with poultry manure represents a cost-effective and sustainable approach for improving chickpea yield and overall productivity.

Rice blast, caused by Magnaporthe oryzae, is a major biotic stress that severely limits rice productivity worldwide. Although tricyclazole is widely used to manage blast, its prolonged use poses environmental and pathogen resistance risks. To address these concerns, the present study assessed the efficacy and safety of tricyclazole-loaded chitosan nanoparticles (CNPT), synthesized via the ionic gelation method, as a sustainable foliar application for managing blast disease in paddy (Oryza sativa L. var. MTU-1001). Two foliar applications of CNPT (at 30 and 50 days after transplanting) at 750 ppm proved most effective, significantly improving agronomic traits and suppressing disease under field conditions. Phytotoxicity screening under greenhouse and field conditions confirmed CNPT's safety up to 1000 ppm, with no visible symptoms of chlorosis or necrosis. CNPT treatment notably enhanced plant height (120.38 cm), tiller number (15.50 tillers/hill), leaf surface area (303.49 cm²/hill), panicle length (29.88 cm), and 1000-grain weight (39.55 g), while reducing chaffiness to 2.84%. Disease assessments revealed a marked reduction in blast severity, with the Percent Disease Index (PDI) reduced from 23.67% in untreated plots to 7.44% in CNPT-treated ones. Moreover, the Area Under Disease Progress Curve (AUDPC), which represents the cumulative disease intensity over time, was significantly lowered from 1205.25 to 372.00. These findings demonstrate that CNPT provides controlled release, improved plant health, and effective blast suppression, offering a promising, eco-friendly alternative for integrated disease management in rice cultivation.

The present investigation was conducted during the Kharif season of 2024 at the Central Research Farm (CRF), Department of Entomology, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences, Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Block Design (RBD) with seven treatments, each replicated three times, along with an untreated control plot. The study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of various chemical insecticides and biopesticides in managing yellow stem borer infestation in paddy. Damage symptoms caused by S. incertulas were assessed one day before spraying and subsequently on the 7th and 14th day after insecticide application. Observations focused on typical damage indicators as dead hearts (DH) during the vegetative stage and white earheads (WEH) during the panicle initiation stage. All treatments were found to be significantly more effective than the untreated control. Among the treatments, T6 – Flubendiamide 20 WG (7.81%) recorded the lowest infestation and proved to be the most effective. This was followed by T2 – Chlorantraniliprole 18.5 SC (8.88%), T4 – Cartap Hydrochloride 50 SP (9.94%) and T7 – Thiamethoxam 25 WG (12.04%). The biopesticide T5 – Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki showed moderate efficacy (13.00%), while T1 – Neem oil (16.38%) and T3 – Beauveria bassiana (1×10⁸ CFU/gm) were less effective. The highest infestation was observed in the untreated control plot (T0 – 26.99%).

Sudden death syndrome (SDS) of soybean, caused by Fusarium virguliforme, can significantly reduce soybean yield and is spreading in North America. Soybean cultivars with partial resistance are important for managing SDS and seed treatments have been developed to supplement resistance and manage SDS where resistance is unavailable. Studies were conducted from 2020-2022 at two field locations in Minnesota to evaluate seed treatments containing fluopyram, pydiflumetofen, and a biological seed treatment containing saponin extract from C. quinoa for managing SDS. Both locations had low soybean cyst nematode populations. Average SDS foliar disease index (FDX) severity was 50% and 19% in the untreated plots at Rosemount and Waseca, Minnesota field locations, respectively. Pydiflumetofen and fluopyram treatments significantly reduced FDX compared to untreated controls on susceptible and partially resistant soybean cultivars and at each field location. Pydiflumetofen significantly reduced FDX in 75% and fluopyram in 62% of the studies by cultivar. Yield was significantly greater with pydiflumetofen than other treatments with both cultivars and significantly greater with fluopyram with one cultivar in Rosemount where SDS severity was greatest. None of the treatments provided a significant yield benefit in Waseca where SDS levels were moderately low. Neither seed treatment nor cultivar significantly influenced plant population. In greenhouse experiments with the same treatments, fluopyram, pydiflumetofen, and saponin extract significantly reduced SDS development compared to controls. In summary, seed treatments can be effective for managing soybean SDS across a range of northern field and greenhouse environments with low SCN populations.

Ensuring sustainable crop production while maintaining soil fertility is a critical challenge in the context of global climate change and increasing agricultural intensification. One promising approach involves the use of biological agents to accelerate the decomposition of plant residues and improve soil quality. This study explores the impact of post-harvest mulching combined with plant residue destructors on the decomposition rate of oilseed flax stubble, nitrogen availability, and the microbiological activity of arable soils. The research was conducted during the 2023–2024 growing season under rainfed conditions on middle-loamy dark chestnut soil using a systematic field experiment with four replications. Two experimental factors were considered: the application of various microbial cellulose destructors and the use or absence of surface mulching after flax harvest. Results showed that the combined application of biological destructors and mulching significantly enhanced the decomposition of plant biomass – by 202–289% relative to untreated control plots – due to the activity of cellulose-degrading microorganisms. This process led to improved nutrient cycling, with the content of mobile nitrogen compounds in the topsoil increasing by 62.2–78.9%. Concurrently, the biological activity of ammonifying microbial populations rose by 32.0–58.9%, indicating enhanced microbial-driven nitrogen transformation. A slight positive effect was also observed in plots where only water was applied to the stubble, attributed to temporary increases in humidity that stimulated native aerobic cellulose-degrading microbes. Importantly, the improved soil conditions resulting from this integrated approach contributed to a 4.1–9.8% increase in grain yield of the su b sequent winter wheat crop. Among the tested microbial products, the most effective preparation included a synergistic blend of humic and fulvic acids, amino acids, phytoenzymes, and essential macro- and micronutrients. These findings highlight the pote n tial of combining mulching and microbial biotechnology as a cost-effective and environmentally friendly agronomic practice to enhance soil health, accelerate nutrient turnover, and improve crop productivity in dryland farming systems.

ABSTRACTFruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) pose a severe threat to cucurbit crops worldwide, with potential losses ranging from 30% to 100%. This study evaluated the effectiveness of agroecological and conventional crop protection practices, compared to untreated controls, in managing fruit fly infestations across different cropping periods in Morogoro, East‐Central Tanzania. The study was conducted from March 2021 to September 2022. Field experiments employed a Randomised Complete Block Design with five replications testing three practices: agroecological crop protection, conventional pest management using synthetic pesticides, and untreated control. Each 45 × 45 m plot contained watermelon, squash, and cucumber. Data on fruit blemishes, infestation rates, and yield (kg/ha) were analysed using R software. The percentage of blemished fruits and infestation rates by Zeugodacus cucurbitae (Coquillet), Dacus ciliatus Loew, and Dacus vertebratus Bezzi were significantly affected by the interaction of management practices, cropping period, and crop species, with the lowest infestation rates in conventional plots, followed by agroecological plots. Yield was significantly influenced by the interaction of cropping period, crops, and management practice. Untreated control plots produced significantly less yield than those under agroecological and conventional management. Agroecological practices effectively reduced fruit fly populations and blemished fruits, enhancing yield over consecutive cropping periods. These practices are comparable to conventional methods in mitigating fruit fly infestations in cucurbit crops.

Rice (Oryza sativa) is an important staple widely consumed in Asian countries and it is attacked by several pests. Gundhi bug or ear head bug (Leptocorisa spp) is one of the major pest of rice. Botanical is now gaining importance to manage the crop pest and protect the environment from toxic effect of pesticides causing pollution which is a global concern. So, the present study was conducted in three consecutive kharif seasons from 2017 to 2019 at Regional Research Station (Old Alluvial Zone), UBKV, Majhian, Dakshin Dinajpur, West Bengal to evaluate bio efficacy of different botanicals against rice ear head bug (Leptocorisa spp.). The experimental design was laid out in RBD (Randomized Block Design) using ten treatments and three replications. All the treatments were superior over control. The standard check treatment, Thiamethoxam (100g/ha.) was found most effective treatment in all the cases as compared to the formulated botanicals used in the studies The three years pooled mean data of kharif of rice earhead bug population and grain yield revealed that inorganic chemical treatment, Thiamethoxam (100g/ha.) was found very effective and exhibited lowest population of earhead bugs (0.90 /hill) and highest yield (28.57q/ha). Amongst the botanicals, Neem Seed Kernel extracts 5% was recorded lowest population (1.80) and highest yield (27.03 quintal/ha) over control and followed by Neem oil 1% (2.08/hill), Pongamia seed kernal extract 5% (2.14/hill), Karanja oil 1% (2.30/hill), Jathropa leaf extract 10% (2.47/hill), Custard apple leaf extract 10% (2.56/hill), Jathropa leaf extract 5%( 2.92/hill) and Custard apple leaf extract 5% (3.05/hill). The untreated control plot recorded highest population of ear head bug (6.24 /hill) and lowest grain yield (15.06 q/ha). Considering two parameter efficacy and yield, Neem Seed Kernel extracts 5% was found most effective treatment amongst the botanicals used in the studies. Botanical source of insecticides could serve as an alternative to popularly used synthetic chemical insecticides which result to reduce environmental hazards and save non-targets living beings. Botanical pesticides can supplement and easily be incorporated into Bio-intensive Integrated Pests Management Programme for the development of sustainable agriculture.