ABSTRACT  

Coffee is the most widely consumedbeverage globally. The two commercial coffee species are Coffea arabica(Arabica) and Coffea canephora (Robusta). The economically importantpest of coffee is Xylotrechusquadripes, known as the coffee white stemborer (CWSB), which causes extensive damage to Arabica coffee. Arabica coffeeis totally susceptible to CWSB, while Robusta is tolerant to this pest. CWSBfemale adults deposit eggs beneath the scaly bark of the main stem, where theearly instar larvae hatch and tunnel through the corky bark, feeding on thetissue just below the phloem layer, resulting in bark splitting and formationof ridges around the stem. To investigate the underlying phytochemicaldifferences between the two contrasting Coffea species and the interspecificcoffee hybrid, bark tissues were analysed using Gas Chromatography-MassSpectrometry (GC-MS) to identify unique phytochemicals. Significant variationsin metabolic profiles were identified between the two Coffea species and theinterspecific hybrid. Although a total of 40, 42 and 35 phytochemicals weredetected in Arabica, Robusta and Sln. 11, respectively, a few phytochemicalssuch as 1-Octadecene, Hexadecanoic acid, and Flavone are associated with CWSBresistance, as they contain female-larva aggregation pheromones and exhibitpesticidal and insecticidal properties, respectively. Bioassay studies showed evidenceof resistance/tolerance in these genotypes against CWSB. The potential use of these genotypes to combat CWSBthrough Integrated Pest Management in coffee cultivation is discussed.

Keywords: Coffee White Stem Borer, phytochemicals, insecticidalproperty, Integrated Pest Management.

ABSTRACT  

Diaphania indica (Saunders),commonly known as the pumpkin caterpillar, is a destructive pest ofcucurbitaceous vegetables, particularly gherkin, leading to substantial yieldand export losses. This study evaluated the insecticidal efficacy of ethanolicleaf extracts from ten locally available plant species against D. indicaunder laboratory conditions. Extracts were tested at 2.5%, 5%, and 7.5%concentrations using the leaf dip bioassay method, with larval mortality,pupation, and adult emergence recorded over 72 hours. The 7.5% ethanolicextracts of Ruta graveolens and Azadirachta indica achieved 100%larval mortality, zero pupation, and complete suppression of adult emergence,demonstrating the highest efficacy. Other botanicals such as Ocimum sanctum,Aegle marmelos, and Vitex negundo also showed significantlarvicidal activity. The findings highlight the potential of botanicalinsecticides as sustainable alternatives to synthetic chemicals in theintegrated pest management (IPM) of D. indica, offering environmentallysafe, locally available, and cost-effective pest control strategies forcucurbit cultivation

Keywords:  botanical insecticides, larval mortality,cucurbit pests, leaf dip bioassay, gherkin, sustainable pest management

ABSTRACT  

Thelarge cabbage white butterfly, or Pieris brassicae (L.) (Lepidoptera:Pieridae), is a major pest of cruciferous vegetables, as it causes severedefoliation and economic loss in these vegetables because of heavy larvalinfestation. The study explored the pathogenicity of three entomopathogenicnematode (EPN) species, namely Heterorhabditis bacteriophora, Steinernemacarpocapsae, and Steinernema glaseri, on the larval and pupal stagesof P. brassicae; their compatibility against the selective insecticidesRadiant (spinetoram) and Uphold (spinetoram/methoxyfenozide); and theireffectiveness when used in mixtures against laboratory and field conditions.The bioassay experiments showed marked intraspecific variations among thenematode species in terms of virulence, with H. bacteriophora having thelowest value of LC₅₀ and LT₅₀ mortality on the two stages of P. brassicae,followed by S. carpocapsae, and relatively less virulence on S.glaseri. The compatibility experiments showed that the two selectiveinsecticides have moderate to low toxicity against EPNs, and their mortalityincreased with concentration and exposure duration, but H. bacteriophorawas more resistant than the Steinernema species. Mixes of nematodesgiven at the level of LC₉₀ and half of the recommended rate of insecticidesshowed additive to synergistic effects on larvae mortality of P. brassicaeunder laboratory bioassay conditions. The experiments conducted over twoconsecutive years (2024 and 2025) under the farm's actual agriculturalconditions verified the findings and showed that the mix was more effective,achieving populations below 80%, and outperformed individual nematodes andinsecticides. The findings show that the integrated use of H. bacteriophora entomopathogenicnematodes and smaller amounts of selective insecticides is a more effective andfeasible method for controlling P. brassicae in cabbage production andjustify their use within integrated pest management.

Keywords: Pieris brassicae; entomopathogenic nematodes; Heterorhabditisbacteriophora; Radiant; Uphold; compatibility; synergistic effects; integratedpest management.

ABSTRACT  

Syzygium aromaticum L. (clove), renowned for its antiseptic properties,holds significant potential in the food industry for controlling variousfood-borne microorganisms. Abibliometric analysis was performed using the Scopus database to explore the scientificlandscape concerningthe antifungal activity of clove (Syzygium aromaticum) essential oil.  Most published studies do not specify the plant'sphysical state. This research gap directly supports the experimental frameworkof the current study, which compares the antifungal efficacy of EOGC and EOUGC.The evaluation of the antifungal activity of essential oils (EOs) extractedfrom both ground and unground clove buds against phytopathogenic fungi isolatedfrom infected tomatoes.  Antifungalefficacy was assessed using the agar diffusion method on potato dextrose agar(PDA), while the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were determined onSabouraud dextrose agar (SDA). Macroscopic and microscopic examinations enabledthe identification of the following fungal species: Aspergillus sp., Geotrichumsp., Fusarium sp., Arthrographis sp., and Penicillium sp.The results demonstrated that the pure essential oils exhibited notableantifungal activity, as evidenced by distinct inhibition zones against alltested strains. The strongest inhibitory effect was observed for the essentialoil derived from ground cloves (EOGC), with an inhibition zone of 50 ± 10 mmagainst Penicillium sp. The MIC values were below 2.5 µL/mL for allfungal isolates, although 10 µL/mL was required in the vapour-phase(micro-atmosphere) assay. Overall, the findings support the efficacy of cloveessential oil, whether extracted from ground or unground buds, as a promisingnatural alternative to synthetic antifungal agents.

Keywords:Syzygium aromaticum L., antifungal activity, grinding, essentialoils, tomato fungi, volatile compounds

ABSTRACT  

Piercing-suckinginsects are among the most destructive pests affecting sunflower crops, causingsignificant losses and affecting the seed quality worldwide. The present studyevaluated the pathogenicity of fungi Baeuveria bassiana, Metarhiziumacridum, Lecanicillum muscarium, and Isaria fumosoroseaagainst three major piercing-sucking pests of sunflower, which were the lacebug Galeatus scrophicus, the cotton aphid Aphis gossypii, and thewhitefly Bemisia tabaci. Laboratory bioassays were conducted undercontrolled environmental conditions at 25 ± 2°C and 65–70% relative humidity.Fungal suspensions were prepared at a concentration of 1 × 10⁷conidia mL^-1 and applied using a leaf spray bioassay technique. Eachtreatment consisted of five replicates with ten insects per replicate. Theresults indicated significant differences in the pathogenicity of fungalspecies against targeted pests. The highest mortality was recorded with B.bassiana and M. acridum, reaching 100% on G. scrophicus and A.gossypii within 7 days post-treatment, while causing 92.2 and 88.6%mortality on B. tabaci, respectively. There was a significant differencebetween the treatments of L. muscarium and I.fumosorosea, with lace bug control of 77.8% and 86.2%, respectively, after7 days of post-treatment. In comparison, the effect of L.muscarium and I. fumosorosea on A. gossypii was 85.5and 92.6%, respectively. The impact of L. muscariumand I. fumosorosea on B. tabaci was 75.5 and 85.4%, respectively. The mortality rate increased gradually over time andreached 100% across all targeted insects by day 8 due to fungal infection andcolonization of insect hosts.

Keywords: sunflower pests, biological control,entomopathogenic fungi, biopesticides, sucking pests

The Euteliid moth, Chlumetia transversa (Walker, 1863),is a specialised lepidopteran known for its association with Anacardiaceae.While its presence is documented across the Indo-Australian tropics, detailedlocality records within the southern Indian states remain fragmented. Thisreport documents a new distributional record of C. transversa fromKerala. Understanding the distribution of this species is critical forpredicting pest outbreaks in mango plantations. This record contributes to thebiogeographical database of Indian Euteliidae and underscores the necessity ofcontinuous faunal monitoring in varied ecological niches.

Keywords: Mango, shoot borer, Euteliidae, first record,pest

The fallarmyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), asignificantly harmful insect pest that causes considerable damage to thefoliage and cobs of sweet corn. To identify eco-friendly management practices,this study investigated the effects of soybean intercropping and biopesticideson fall armyworm suppression and on predatory arthropods, pollinator insects,crop traits, yield performance, and economic returns in sweet corn (BU SweetCorn-1) under field conditions. The results indicated that intercropping alone significantlymitigated fall armyworm infestation across all growth stages compared withmonocropping. Notably, the intercrop + Bio-chamak treatment recorded the lowestlevels of seedling, pre-tasseling, tasseling, and cob infestation, whereasmonocropping showed the highest infestation rates. The abundance of fallarmyworm larvae was significantly lower under the Bio-chamak and Spinosadtreatments and in soybean–sweet corn intercropping compared with monocropping.Predatory arthropods and pollinator insects were significantly more abundant insoybean–sweet corn intercropping plots, including those treated withbiopesticides. Sweet corn plant traits and yield-contributing traits improvedmarkedly under soybean–sweet corn intercropping combined with biorationaltreatments compared with simple intercropping and monocropping. The enhancedsuppression of pests resulted in improved yields, with the intercrop +Bio-chamak treatment achieving the highest yield of 12.3 t ha⁻¹, followed bySpinosad at 10.7 t ha⁻¹, with marginal benefit–cost ratios (MBCR) of 14.8 and11.6, respectively.

Keywords: Bio-pesticides, Intercropping,Predator, Pollinator, Soybean, Spodoptera frugiperda, Zea mays

Thegram pod borer, Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner) is one of the most seriouspolyphagous pests found globally, causing economic yield loss. Many syntheticpesticides are used against this pest, but it has developed resistance to them.Therefore, the present work was carried out tostudy the larvicidal and antifertility activity of Zanthoxylum armatumL. against H. armigera. The larvicidal activity was tested with leafextracts of Z. armatum extracted with hexane and methanol against 4^th,5^th, and 6^th larval instars. The plant extracts wereprepared by the maceration technique. The concentration of the methanolicextract was 735.09g/L while that of the hexane extract was 806.45g/L. Mortalitywas assessed based on Knockdown Toxicity (KD0, KD50, and KD100)_. Resultsshowed that KD₁₀₀ for the 6^th larval instar was 6 daysfor the hexane extract and 5 + 0.57 days for the methanol extract of Z.armatum. The antifertility effect was assessed by measuring theGonadosomatic Index (GSI) in adult insects. The male and female gonads of theinsects in the control and experimental groups were analysed on the 3rd, 5thand 7th days of feeding. The results demonstrated that in the control group,the Female Fertility Index (FFI) on the 7^th day was 27.08%, whereasin the experimental group, it was only 7.17%. Similarly, in the control group,the Male Fertility Index (MFI) on the 7^th day was 1.78%, while thatof the experimental group was only 1.005%. The study also showed manymorphological deformities and food deterrence in the larvae in the experimentalgroup.

KeyWords: Zanthoxylum armatum, Knock DownToxicity, GSI, Helicoverpa armigera, larval mortality

This studyevaluated the influence of temperature (5–40 °C) on the sporulation of Trichodermaharzianum AMUTH-1 across five substrates (mustard, sorghum, finger millet,rice, and wheat) to optimise their application in solid-statefermentation-based bioformulation development. AMUTH-1 successfully colonisedall substrates, though the extent of growth varied from minimal to completecoverage. Sporulation levels differed significantly among substrates; ricesupported the highest sporulation, with a mean log10 value of 7.55 CFU/gsubstrate at 20-30 °C, followed by sorghum, wheat, mustard, and finger millet.Temperature was identified as a critical determinant of fungal sporeperformance, with optimal sporulation observed at 25 °C. In contrast, extremelylow (≤15 °C) and high (≥35 °C) temperatures markedly suppressed conidialproduction. Notably, a temperature downshift (30 → 20 °C) significantlyenhanced sporulation relative to static incubation, indicating that dynamictemperature regimes can stimulate conidial yield more effectively than constantconditions. Collectively, these findings underscore the importance of substrateselection and temperature management in the development of robust Trichoderma-basedbiocontrol formulations.

Keywords: Biocontrol, conidiation, mustard,optimisation, plant disease, rice, wheat

Maizeis the primary food source for many Beninese people. Unfortunately, insectpests, particularly Spodoptera frugiperda(J.E. Smith), have a heavy impact on its production. Farmers commonly rely on synthetic pesticides, whichpose risks to human health and the environment. Biopesticides offer a saferalternative, yet their adoption remains low among smallholder farmers. An ethnobotanical survey was conducted among 437farmers across 60 villages to document pest management practices, perceptions,preference criteria, and willingness to pay for biopesticides. The results showed that most farmers rely heavily onsynthetic pesticides (81.7%), with 42 different pesticides recorded. A smallmajority (50.3%) of farmers used plant-based pesticides. Few farmers (48.1%)are knowledgeable about formulated and commercialized biopesticides for pestcontrol. Surveyed farmers identified 8 constraints to biopesticide use,primarily high product costs (37.3%), perceived ineffectiveness (18.2%), andslow action (16.9%). The farmers' criteria for an appropriate botanicalbiopesticide were documented, and they were willing to pay up to 3,000 FCFA($5.33) per litre. Land ownership increased producers' willingness to pay,whereas livestock farming and larger household size reduced it. Increasing biopesticide adoption among Beninesefarmers requires awareness campaigns, economic incentives, and a nationalstrategy addressing socio-economic factors affecting perceptions andwillingness to pay.

Key words:Pesticides,willingness to pay, pest control, maize, determinants.

Groundnut is a cash crop cultivated in many parts of TamilNadu and ts production is governed by pest and disease problems, as well ascultivation practices. Smallholder farmers are often unfamiliar with manymodern cultivation practices. Hence, we undertook an effort to understand thecultivation practices used for pest and disease incidence and the cost-benefitratio of groundnut in the southern districts of Tamil Nadu. For this survey, wehave selected seven farmers from Sathankulam Taluk in Thoothukudi and threefrom Radhapuram Taluk in Tirunelveli district. Observation reveals that eachvillage has its own pest management practice. Manure rate, seed rate, weedingpractices, etc. However, all farmers in a locality have invariably used thesame synthetic/chemical pesticides. In general, the cost-benefit ratio rangedfrom 1:1.5 to 1:2.0. This ratio is consistent with the national cost-benefitratio for groundnut. The study can be extended to other villages wheregroundnut cultivation is being practised.

Keywords: Manure rate,seed rate, weeding practices, pest management, cost-benefit ratio.