The efficiency of cultural practices in controlling Helicoverpa Armigera infestation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa tomato varieties

Abstract

A very destructive polyphagous pest of tomato crops worldwide, Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner) increases reliance on chemical pesticides and causes large economic losses. Therefore, controlling this pest is crucial for integrated pest management (IPM) systems in order to reduce production costs and environmental hazards. The goal of the present experiment was to evaluate the efficacy of the target cultural practices in conjunction with the varietal susceptibility under field settings in Peshawar, Pakistan, from March to May 2021. In order to compare the effects of early sowing, deep ploughing, weeding, hand-picking larvae, removing infested fruits, and pupal bursting on two tomato varieties—Rio Grande (preferred) and Sahel (less preferred)—the experiment was created using a randomized complete block design (RCBD). The most successful treatment was early planting (T2), which reduced the egg population by 26.0 in Rio Grande and 17.7 in Sahel, respectively, in comparison to the control. Similarly, in Rio Grande and Sahel, the larval population decreased by 24.6% and 9.2%, respectively. In comparison to control plots (Rio Grande and Sahel, respectively), the number of fruits increased by 13.1 and 10.8 percent with T2, and yield characteristics were significantly better with T2. The average plant yield increased by 8.5 percent in Rio Grande and 11.8 percent in Sahel, reaching 1.27 kg and 1.42 kg, respectively. Sahel generally reacted better to treatments and less to infestation. These findings show that using low-preference or resistant cultivars together with early planting is a viable and environmentally benign method of managing H. armigera. Incorporating these cultural practices into IPM programs will help reduce the need for pesticides and increase tomato output and production sustainability.