Efficacy of insecticides against chickpea pod borer (Helicoverpa armigera) at Sodo district Gurage Zone, Southern Ethiopia

Pod borer is a major insect pest constraining chickpea production at southern Ethiopia. The experiment was conducted at Sodo district with the objective to evaluate the efficacy of different insecticides for the control of pod borer of chickpea. The experiment was conducted using one chickpea variety; Habru and five insecticides Diaznon (1.2l/ha), Diamethoate (1L/ha), Apron star (600g with 500l of water ha-1), Endosulfan (250g/ha) and Karate (400ml/ha). The result revealed that all insecticides were effective against pod borer with difference on percent larval population reduction. The pod borer damage reduction by insecticides treatment ranged from 35.4% to 68.6% and 39.5% to 76.7% compared to that in control. Diaznon and karate resulted maximum seed yield 1561.20 kg/ha and 1498.90 kg/ha, in 2017 and 1391.40kg/ha,1421.29 kg/ha in 2019 respectively. The highest larval reduction was obtained from plot treated with insecticide Diaznon followed by insecticide Karate 5% EC 68.6%, 64% during 2017 cropping season respectively and in 2019 cropping season highest larval reduction was obtained from plot treated with insecticide Karate 5% EC 76.7% followed by Diaznon treated plot 67.2%.In both 2017 and 2019 experimentalyears better yield increment was recorded from Diaznon and Karate 5% EC treated plot. During 2017 cropping season the maximum yield increment was obtained from Diaznon treated plot 27.3% followed by Karate 24.2% and during 2019 cropping season Karate 5% EC treated plot 32.6% followed by Diaznon treated plot 31.2%. Thus chickpea growers in the area should prefer the insecticides Karate 5% EC and Diaznon in mixed up for better pod borer management.