Abstract:
Leucinodes orbonalis GULN (Lepidoptera : Pyralidae) is an important pest which
damages the pods and shoots of the Salomon melongena L. (Solanaceac).
The percentage mortality from eggs to adults was 80.14. Life span varied between
1.5 to 3 (n = 10) days for male and 2.5 to 4 (n - 10) days for female. Mean
fecundity of a female insect (in the laboratory) was 203.8 ± 105.9 (n = 10). Larval
stages were determined by using the head capsule width measurements. There are
five larval stages of
L. orbonalis. The pupation period varied between 7 to 1 1 days.
In the second step, the effect of chemical fertilizer and compost fertilizer on the
yield of Solarium melongena and infestation level of Leucinodes orbonalis was
studied. From this experiment it was clear that the compost treated plants had
higher yield and low infestation than the chemical fertilizer treated plants. The
percentage of pod infestation levels of the plants treated with compost fertilizer,
plants treated with chemical fertilizer and the plants not treated with any fertilizer
were 35.44, 63.04 and 57.14, respectively. The total shoot infestation levels on the
same treatments were 8.551, 15.57 and 6.101, respectively. The yield obtained
from the plants treated with compost fertilizer, the plants treated with chemical
fertilizer and the plants not treated with any fertilizer were 12.083, 6.174 and 3.691
Kg/plot, respectively for the first three month period.
In the third step of this study Integrated Pest Management program for the S.
melongena was introduced. In this program cultural methods, pesticide application
(chemical pesticides recommended by the Department of Agriculture and home
made pesticide - prepared in the laboratory) and partial resistant variety were used.
There were no significant difference (P < 0.05) of the damage between the plants
treated with chemical pesticide and the plants treated • with the pesticide which
prepared at the laboratory.
