MORTALITY RESPONSES OF SPODOPTERA LITURA (FAB.) (LEPIDOPTERA: NOCTUIDAE) AGAINST SOME CONVENTIONAL AND NEW CHEMISTRY INSECTICIDES UNDER LABORATORY CONDITIONS

The new chemistry and conventional insecticides were evaluated for their efficacy against the armyworm, Spodoptera litura (Fab.) in the laboratory. All the evaluated insecticides proved toxic for S. litura under laboratory conditions, but chlorpyrifos, profenofos, emamectin benzoate, spinosad, indoxacarb, methoxyfenozide and lufenuron proved highly toxic as the exposure time was extended. After 3 days of the insecticide treatment, 100% mortality was observed in emamectin benzoate @ 100 and 110 ml/acre treatment, followed by chlorpyrifos @ 1100 ml/acre (96.56%), leufenuron @ 55 ml/acre (86.67%) and methomyl @ 440 ml/acre (83.34%). However, chlorpyrifos and emamectin benzoate, at all the three doses, leufenuron at the higher and recommended dose and thiodicarb, spinosad and methoxyfenozide, at higher doses, were ranked highly toxic-as these insecticides caused the highest mortality ( 90%) in S. litura.