JOURNAL OF LIAONING TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY

COMPARISON OF BIOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL METHODS FOR MANAGING FALL ARMY WORM IN ZEA MAYS

Muhammad Hamza Gul, *Noor Ul Haq, Hina Ghafoor, Khan Danish, Syed Zaheer Abbas, Madeeha Hayat, Shoreen Akhtar, Rubab Rooman, Mehtab Ahmed, Wajiha Khattak

Abstract

The present study evaluated the efficacy of botanical extracts (Chenopodium ambrosioides and Citrullus indica) and synthetic insecticides (Cypermethrin and Lambda-cyhalothrin) against Trogoderma granarium larvae in field conditions. The experiment measured larval mortality before and after treatment application at intervals of 1, 3, 7, and 14 days. Results revealed significant differences among treatments (p < 0.05). Lambda-cyhalothrin exhibited the highest efficacy, achieving 100% mortality within 7 days and a mean mortality of 0.60 across intervals. Cypermethrin followed closely, with a mean mortality of 1.26. Among botanical treatments, C. ambrosioides demonstrated better performance (mean mortality of 3.09) than C. indica (2.80), though both showed reduced efficacy compared to control. The untreated control group showed minimal mortality, with a mean of 4.85. These findings highlight the potential of botanical extracts as alternative pest control agents, though synthetic insecticides remain more effective under field conditions. The study underscores the importance of integrating eco-friendly botanicals into pest management programs to reduce reliance on synthetic chemicals and promote sustainable agricultural practices.

Keywords: Botanical extracts, Eco-friendly pest control, Larval mortality, synthetic insecticides, Trogoderma granarium