Brinjal, also known as eggplant, is a commonly cultivated vegetable in India, and is an important part of Indian cuisine. However, it is often attacked by pests such as the fruit and shoot borer, which can cause significant damage to the crop. The fruit and shoot borer is a major pest of brinjal both in the field and in storage. Effective control measures are necessary to ensure healthy and high yielding crop.
The fruit and shoot borer is a serious pest that can cause significant damage to a brinjal crop. It attacks the plants during the early stages of growth, making it difficult to manage once damage has been done. The larvae bore into the stem, shoots, and fruit of the brinjal, causing wilting and rotting of the plant parts. This not only reduces the yield of the crop but also makes it vulnerable to other pests and diseases.
To control the fruit and shoot borer in brinjal, a combination of preventive and curative measures can be used:
1. Crop rotation: Planting brinjal in the same field year after year can increase the risk of pest attack. Crop rotation helps to break the pest cycle and reduce the build-up of pests in the soil. Growing other crops such as legumes, cereals, or grasses in between brinjal crops can help to control the pest population.
2. Use of resistant varieties: Planting brinjal varieties that are resistant to the pest can reduce the incidence of attack. Resistant varieties are available in the market and should be used for sowing.
3. Cultural methods: Practices such as timely sowing, thinning, pruning and proper sanitation of brinjal fields can help to manage the pest. Removing and destroying the infested brinjal fruit and shoots can also prevent the spread of the pest.
4. Chemical control: Use of insecticides should be done judiciously. Insecticides such as neem oil, spinosad, and cypermethrin are effective in controlling the pest. However, care should be taken to apply them as per the recommended method, dose, and frequency, and a pre-harvest interval should be followed.
5. Biological control: Biocontrol agents such as trichogramma wasps, braconid wasps, and entomopathogenic nematodes can be used to control the pest. They parasitize the eggs and larvae of the pest and prevent the damage.
In conclusion, effective control measures are necessary to prevent the fruit and shoot borer from damaging the brinjal crop. A combination of preventive and curative measures should be used, and a proper management plan should be followed to achieve good yields and healthy crops.