Study on various synthetic pesticides and bio-pesticides for managing Helicoverpa armigera (Hubbner): Comprehensive Review

Vegetables are important food having essential sources of nutrition, providing a wealth of vitamins, minerals, and ions. These crops are cultivated in various settings, including private properties, farmlands, polyhouses, and traded globally. Tomatoes, in particular, playa significant role in Indian cuisine. According to the Indian central government, the country ranked second worldwide in tomato production, yielding 20.40 million tonnes in 2022-23 and total production land is 8,14,000 hectares [1]. However, these fruit and vegetables are susceptible to damage from natural threats such as insect pests, fungi, and microbial infections.

Tomato generation in India is concentrated in a few states, counting Uttar-Pradesh, Madhya-Pradesh, Odisha, Karnataka, Bihar, Punjab, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand.Helicoverpa armigera, which is major pest poses a significant threat to fruits and vegetables. This insect is responsible for substantial crop yield reductions in various plants. This insect poses a significant threat to agriculture and farming due to its polyphagous nature. The growing pest population has led to increased pesticide application, subsequently affecting tomato cultivation costs. Research indicates that the pest has developed resistance to certain pesticides due to their extensive use [2]. This resistance facilitates insect-population growth. Bio-pesticides have shown effectiveness in reducing pest numbers while being environmentally friendly and preserving biodiversity [3], [4]. Additionally, bio-pesticides prevent alterations in soil composition.

The newly brought outlarvae of this insect expend delicate foliage or youthful leaves. As the larvae develop, they enter the natural product and nourish on its insides. This renders the natural product unsuitable for human utilization [5].Various methods are employed to manage this pest, including mechanical, chemical, and biological control. Mechanical control is challenging due to the difficulty in targeting insect eggs, larvae, and pupae across large agricultural areas, and also it is time-consuming. Chemical control is currently used in fruit and vegetable cultivation; however, synthetic pesticides significantly impact soil properties and fruit quality. Bio-pesticides offer a potential replacement for synthetic pesticides without causing harm and promote eco-friendly farming practices.

Biological control is also effective, causing substantial damage to insect pest populations at different life stages through the use of parasitoids and predators. Studies have identified six egg parasitoids from two distinct families, with only Hymenoptera demonstrating significant control of Helicoverpa armigera eggs [6]. Trichogramma spp. attacks eggs, causing their death before hatching [7],[8]. Research indicates that in India, the most significant predators of pest’sare Chrysopids and certain ant species, specifically Pheidole spp. and Iridomyrmex spp.[9], [10], [11], [12], [13]. Also susceptible to infection by entomopathogenic organisms, including the fungus Beauveria bassiana, H. armigera nucleopolyhedrovirus (HaNPV), and the soil bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) [14],[15]. The pest is known to infest various host crops such as tomatoes, cotton, maize, chickpea, pigeon pea, sorghum, sunflower, soybean, and groundnuts [16],[17], [18].

This study proposes a shift from synthetic synthetic pesticides to the utilization of bio-pesticides and biological agents for insect pest management. The aim is to promote environmentally friendly farming practices, potentially reducing production costs and enhancing crop yields.