Efficacy of Nuclear Polyhedrosis Virus Formulation for the Control of Spodoptera litura (Fab.) on Chillies

Results of the field experiment on the control of Spodoptera litura (Fab.) on Chillies (Capsicum annuum L.) with nuclear polyhedrosis virus (NPV) and certain insecticides revealed that two rounds of application of the virus as a water dispersible power (WDP) or unformulated virus at 250 larval equivalents (LE)/ha at 10 days interval was as effective as fenpropathrin 200 g a.i/ha or fenpropathrin 100 g a.i/ha + NPV (WOP) 125 LE/ha in reducing the larval population and fruit damage. NPV was also as effective as chlorpyrlphos 250 g a.i/ha + fenitrothion 188 g a.i/ha in reducing the fruit damage by S. litura.