Moth Repellent Yellow-Specific Bulbs for the Management of Lepidopteran Pod Borers and Leaf Eating Caterpillars on Vegetable Pest Management Programs in Sri Lanka

The study was conducted research field at Horticultural Crops Research and Development Institute (HORDI), Gannoruwa, Sri Lanka and different farmer fields to determine the efficacy of yellow bulbs during nights for the management of lepidopteran Pod borers and leaf eating caterpillars on brinjal, okra and cabbage. Three research field experiments at HORDI, Gannoruwa during, 2018 Minor (Yala), 2018/2019 Major (Maha) and 2019 Yala and farmer field demonstrations were conducted to determine the effectiveness of the yellow bulbs for the management of Brinjal Shoot and Pod Borer, Okra pod borer and Cabbage leaf eating caterpillars. Research fields measuring 100 m2 – 200 m2 were selected for each treatment at the HORDI research fields and 1,000 m2 fields for farmer field demonstrations. Yellow LED bulbs (at the rate of nine 1.5W bulbs /1,000 m2 were installed . Replication were done by dividing each plot into four sub-plots. Lands were prepared and bulbs were installed in the yellow bulb treatments and planting was done each plot. Data were recorded from randomly selected twenty plants from each sub plot for pest damage in weekly intervals. Yield was recorded at harvest to measure the yield loss due to pest damage. Data revealed that fields illuminated with yellow bulbs has given significantly low number of pest damage in each crops. It was reported from the cabbage experiment conducted during yala 2018, significantly low number of caterpillar damage in yellow bulb treatment compared to untreated control and chemical treatment. Similar results gave from the experiment conducted during Maha 2018/2019 for the same crops. Results of the experiment conducted against the okra pod borer during Yala 2019, revealed that significantly low percentage of pod damage on plots exposed to yellow light. Field trials conducted on farmer fields and research farm further confirmed the results with low number of pest damage on okra and brinjal crops.