Ashwagandha or Asgandh (Withania somnifera Dunal.), is an important medicinal plant which is attacked by several insect pests including spotted leaf beetle, Epilachna vigintioctopunctata Fab. The present investigation was carried out to under field conditions. Results revealed that farmyard manure (FYM) (12.5 t/ha) + Azophos (2 kg/ha) + neem cake (1000 kg/ha) was found to be very effective in reducing the damage of spotted leaf beetle by 69.79 per cent. FYM + Azophos + neem cake combination was less preferred for oviposition which recorded 62.00 eggs/plants, coupled with a minimum feeding area of 6.75 cm2.

The trials were carried out in Central-South Bulgaria in 2006 and 2007. In a conventionally managed reference orchard, sixteen chemical treatments were applied during the season. Fifteen of them could act against codling moth larvae. In spite of that, fruit damage by CM reached at harvest 6.8 in 2006 and 18.7 in 2007. At the same time damage in the plot, treated twelve times with GpGV, was only 0.05% in 2006 and 0.4% in 2007. The overwintering population in the plot treated with GpGV was 0.125 larvae per tree in autumn 2006 and 0.175 larvae per tree in 2007, whereas in the reference orchard 3.32 larvae per tree in autumn 2006 and 7.97 in 2007. The high fruit damage and overwintering CM indicate the population to be resistant tothe organophosphates used. Positive results obtained with Carpovirusine show that it may be effective as a means of biocontrol of CM in Bulgaria.

The insecticidal activity of crude extracts and fractions of Argemone mexicana L. (Papaveraceae)was investigated against Spodoptera litura Fab. (Noctuidae: Lepidoptera). The different treatments differed significantly in their efficacy. Pupation was nil in chloroform extract and acetone extract, while water extract treated larvae resulted in least pupal weight and maximum malformed adults. The adult life span was least in acetone solvent followed by hexane and petroleum ether extracts. Most of the treatments resulted in nil fecundity. Among the chloroform fractions, the first fraction arrested the pupation. In addition, disturbed moulting, larval-pupal intermediates and malformed moth emergence/dead pupae were also observed.

Investigations carried out on the Biological effects of neem oil extractive were assessed against Pericallia ricini, revealed that NOE affects both feeding and growth rates of Pericallia ricini. The biochemical studies showed that larvae carbohydrate and protein content get reduced in the treated larvae and this reduction is found to be dosage dependent. NOE also influences the number of eggs laid. The hatchability was totally suppressed. The extractive produced malformations in adult and pupae of P.ricini.