IMPACT OF HUMAN URINE ON THE MORTALITY RATE OF EGGPLANT LACE BUG LARVAE: A NEW EXPERIMENTAL INSIGHT

Abstract

Brinjal, or eggplant, is commonly attacked by several insect pests, with the brinjal shoot and fruit borer Lace bugs (Leucinodes orbonalis) being the most significant. Other important pests of this plant include Hadda beetle, brown leafhopper, aphids, whitefly, jassid, and spider mites. Among the various species of lace bugs, Leucinodes melanopalis and Leucinodes sigulalis are popular in India (Chacko and Bhat, 1977). Many chemicals and botanicals have been tested against this pest and are found to be effective (Sreedharan, 1983; Vinod Kumar and Prakasan, 1992). A survey conducted among the organic coffee growers of Wayanad revealed the use of many indigenous methods of pest control as chemicals are not permitted in organic farming, animal urine solution is one of that. Three different human urine dilutions (1:3, 1:5, and 1:10 with water) with a control group (no urine) made up the Completely Randomized Design (CRD) utilized in the experiment. The use of cow urine in pest .and disease management is clearly mentioned in Vrikshayurveda (Anonymous, 1993). With the objective of ascertaining the effect of this indigenous knowledge, a laboratory trial was conducted at the Department of Zoology, Seth Anandram Jaipuria College with human urine on the growth and survivability of the larvae of lace bugs.