Effect of organic fertilizers on pest complex of brinjal Solanum melongena L.
Abstract
The present investigation was undertaken during Rabi 2025–26 at the Instructional Farm, Department of Agronomy, College of Agriculture, Dapoli, to study the effect of organic fertilizers on pest incidence and on the biochemical and morphological parameters of brinjal (Solanum melongena L.) cv. Konkan Prabha. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Block Design with eleven treatments and three replications, comprising different combinations of the recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF), farmyard manure (FYM), biofertilizers (Azotobacter and PSB) and Gau-Krupa Amrutam drenching/spraying. Weekly observations were recorded on the population of major sucking pests mainly aphid (Aphis gossypii), jassid (Amrasca biguttula biguttula), whitefly (Bemisia tabaci) and thrips along with shoot and fruit infestation caused by the brinjal shoot and fruit borer (Leucinodes orbonalis). Total chlorophyll, total soluble sugars, total phenol content, plant height, number of branches, leaf area index, trichome density and marketable fruit yield were also recorded and correlated with pest incidence. Among the treatments, T10 (100% RDF + 20 t FYM + Azotobacter + PSB + Gau-Krupa Amrutam drenching) consistently recorded the lowest population of sucking pests and the lowest shoot and fruit infestation, followed by T9, T7 and T6, while the untreated control (T11) recorded the highest pest incidence throughout the crop period. The same treatment also recorded significantly higher chlorophyll, soluble sugar and phenol content, better plant growth parameters and the highest marketable fruit yield (5.15 kg plot-1; 2.77 t ha−1). Correlation analysis showed a significant negative relationship between pest incidence and all the biochemical and morphological parameters studied, with phenol content and trichome density showing the strongest association with reduced pest damage. The study concludes that integrated organic fertilizers management, particularly the combination of RDF, FYM, biofertilizers and Gau-Krupa Amrutam, is effective in reducing insect-pest incidence while improving plant growth, biochemical status and yield of brinjal.
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Introduction
Brinjal (Solanum melongena L.) is an important vegetable crop of the family Solanaceae, extensively cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions. India possesses considerable genetic diversity of cultivated brinjal, comprising numerous indigenous land races and cultivars and is one of the major producers of the crop globally. In Maharashtra, brinjal is cultivated under diverse agro-climatic conditions, including the warm and humid environment of the Konkan region, where locally adapted cultivars such as Konkan Prabha are grown. The productivity and quality of brinjal are adversely affected by a complex of insect pests. Among them, the brinjal shoot and fruit borer, Leucinodes orbonalis Guenée (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), is a major economically important pest causing damage to both vegetative and reproductive plant parts. Other important pests include jassid, Amrasca biguttula biguttula (Ishida), aphid, Aphis gossypii Glover and whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius). The occurrence and population dynamics of these pests are influenced by environmental conditions, crop growth and management practices (Dwarka et al., 2024) [2] . Plant nutritional status is an important component of plant-insect interactions and can influence plant growth, physiological activity, biochemical composition and susceptibility to herbivorous insects. Nutrient sources, particularly organic fertilizers and biofertilizers, can modify soil fertility, nutrient availability and plant vigour. Such changes may alter biochemical constituents, including chlorophyll, phenolic compounds and sugars, as well as morphological attributes such as trichome density, thereby influencing insect colonization, feeding behaviour and population development. Despite the importance of nutrient-mediated effects on plant-pest interactions, location-specific information on the response of the brinjal pest complex to different organic nutrient regimes remains limited under the agro-climatic conditions of the Konkan region. Therefore, the present investigation was undertaken to assess pest population dynamics under differential fertilizer regimes and to evaluate the influence of organic fertilizer variants on selected biochemical and morphological parameters of brinjal.
Materials and Methods
A field experiment was conducted at Instructional Farm, Department of Agronomy, College of Agriculture, Dapoli, Dist. Ratnagiri. For assessing pest population dynamics under differential fertilizer regimes in brinjal. The ready seedlings of 21 to 25 days old were transplanted on the selected plot and all the nutritional requirements for establishment of brinjal plot was given as recommended. The transplanted plot was kept free from any pesticide or insecticide application (sprays). The observation on different pests was recorded as soon as the infestation was noticed.
Observations recorded
The observations were recorded on weekly basis as per standard meteorological weeks (SMW). On the experimental plot 5 plants were randomly selected for taking observations.
Method of recording observations a) Sucking pest complex
For observation of sucking pests, five randomly selected plants from each plot were tagged. The number of Aphid (nymph and adult), Jassid (nymph and adult), Whiteflies (nymph and adult) was counted on three leaves representing top, middle, bottom portion of five randomly selected plants from each block area. Observations were recorded from second week after transplanting till last harvesting of the crop at weekly intervals.
c) For fruit infestation
The harvested fruits of each plot were observed carefully at every picking to ascertain per cent fruit infestation. Per cent fruit infestation = 𝑁𝑜. 𝑜𝑓 𝑖𝑛𝑓𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑓𝑟𝑢𝑖𝑡𝑠 𝑇𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑛𝑜.𝑜𝑓 𝑓𝑟𝑢𝑖𝑡𝑠
Evaluating the effects of organic fertilizer variants on biochemical and morphological parameters on brinjal plants
Methodology:
For studying the effect of organic fertilizers variants on biochemical and morphological parameters in brinjal plants, the experimental plot was prepared in Randomized Block Design (RBD). The design consists of 3 replications and 11 treatments. The seedlings of brinjal were transplanted on experimental plot. All the treatments were randomly allotted in each replication.
All the necessary cultural practices and fertilizer requirements was fulfilled as per requirements.
Application of treatment
The entire quantity of FYM, Azotobacter, PSB was applied as the basal dose in a plot before the transplanting of seedlings. The treatment consisting of inorganic fertilizers was applied at varied doses.
The nitrogen the form of urea, while phosphorous and potassium were applied depending upon availability. Out of the total recommended doses 50% of nitrogen and total quantities of phosphorous and potassium was applied as basal dose prior to transplanting. The remaining nitrogen was applied into split doses after 30 days from transplanting. Gau Krupa Amrutam (GKA) drenching and spraying was done at weekly interval from the date of transplanting.
Method of recording observations
Morphological parameters of brinjal a)
Plant height was recorded from the base of the stem at ground level to the tip of the main shoot using a meter scale at 30, 60 and 90 days after transplanting (DAT). Mean plant height was calculated from five randomly selected tagged plants in each plot (Gomez et al., 1984) [6] .
Leaf area index (LAI)
LAI was computed using the formula LAI = Leaf area per plant (cm 2 )/Ground area occupied by the plant (cm 2 ) Leaf area was measured by tracing method on graph paper, summing the area of all leaves per plant and dividing by ground coverage (Radford, 1967) [8] .
c)
Trichome density (no./cm 2 ):
Fully expanded third leaves from the apex was collected and trichomes on both adaxial and abaxial surfaces was counted using a compound microscope fitted with a binocular microscope. (Levin, 1973) [7] .
Number of branches per plant
Primary branches arising from the main stem was counted manually from five tagged plants per plot at 60 and 90 DAT and the mean was calculated.
Fruits from each treatment block was harvested at commercial maturity and weighed. The cumulative weight of fruits from all harvests in a plot was summed, converted to kg/plot and extrapolated to quintals per hectare.
Biochemical characters of brinjal
The biochemical analysis was done at CIL, Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, College of Agriculture, Dapoli.
Preparation of samples:
The freshly collected shoot (at crop stage 30 DAT) and fruit samples (at first picking 60 DAT) was kept in hot air oven and was dried at a temperature of 50 °C for three days. These samples were powdered using mortar and pestle and was then stored at room temperature in a sealed polythene covers. The powder was then used for further biochemical estimation.
a) Total phenol content estimation
Total phenol content estimated by Folin-Ciocalteu Method.
Principle
Phenolic compounds react with the Folin-Ciocalteu reagent under alkaline conditions to form a blue-coloured complex. The intensity of the blue colour is directly proportional to the phenol concentration and is measured spectrophotometrically (Model-μ controller-based UV VIS spectrophotometer type 117 TS) at 620 nm. The phenol content is calculated using a catechol standard curve.
b) Total soluble sugars estimation
Total soluble sugars estimated using phenol-sulphuric acid method.
Principle
Carbohydrates are dehydrated by concentrated sulphuric acid to form furfural derivatives, which react with phenol to produce an orangeyellow coloured complex. The colour intensity is proportional to the sugar concentration and is measured at 490 nm. Sugar concentration is determined using a glucose standard curve. Weigh 100 mg of oven-dried powdered sample. Add 10 ml of 80% methanol. Centrifuge at 6500 rpm for 15 minutes. Collect the supernatant and re-extract the residue with 80% methanol. Pool the extracts and evaporate to dryness. Dissolve the residue and make the final volume to 2 ml. Pipette 0.1 ml of the extract into a test tube. Add 1 ml of 5% phenol solution. After 3 minutes, add 5 ml concentrated sulphuric acid carefully. Keep the tubes in a cold water bath for 20 minutes for colour development. Measure absorbance at 490 nm using a spectrophotometer. Determine sugar concentration from the glucose standard curve and express as percentage (%) or mg glucose equivalent g -1 dry weight, depending on the calculation method.
Preparation of Glucose Standard :
Dissolve 500 mg glucose in 100 ml distilled water (stock solution). Prepare the working standard by diluting 1 ml stock solution to 100 ml with distilled water.
Chlorophyll a and b estimation
Chlorophyll content was estimated following the method of Arnon (1949). Fresh leaf samples (0.5 g) from each treatment were collected in the morning and cut into small pieces. The samples were homogenized in a chilled mortar and pestle with 10 ml of 80% acetone under low light conditions. The homogenate was centrifuged at 5,000 rpm for 10 minutes and the residue re-extracted with 80% acetone until it became colourless. All supernatants were pooled and the final volume was made up to 25 ml with 80% acetone. Absorbance of the extract was recorded at 663 nm and 645 nm using a spectrophotometer with 80% acetone as blank. Chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b and total chlorophyll was calculated using the following equations: Chlorophyll a (mg l -1 ) =
12.7 × 𝐴663 -2.69 × 𝐴645 × 𝑉 1000 × 𝑊 Chlorophyll b (mg l -1 ) =
22.9 × 𝐴645 -4.68 × 𝐴663 𝑥 𝑉 1000 𝑋 𝑊 Total chlorophyll (mg l -1 ) = Chlorophyll a + Chlorophyll b
The chlorophyll content was expressed as mg g -1 fresh weight of leaf tissue.
Statistical analysis
From above all treatments data obtained was subjected to statistical analysis by following procedure pertinent to Randomized Block Design (RBD).
Experimental results
I. Assesing pest population dynamics under differential fertilizer regimes in brinjal
Table 2. Weekly incidence of Aphids on brinjal for Rabi 2025-26 Aphid incidence differed significantly among the nutrient-management treatments throughout the crop growth period. The population generally increased with crop age, with the highest incidence observed during the later crop-growth stages. T 10 consistently recorded the lowest aphid population, whereas the untreated control (T 11 ) supported the highest population. The pooled mean aphid population was minimum in T 10 (7.44 aphids per three leaves), followed by T 9 (8.25) and T 7 (8.46), while T 11 recorded the maximum population (13.00 aphids per three leaves). T 10 resulted in the highest reduction over untreated control (42.77%) and was statistically superior to the other treatments. The results demonstrate that integrated nutrient management substantially reduced aphid infestation compared with the untreated condition, with T 10 showing the most consistent suppressive effect during the crop period.
Table 3. Table . 3 Weekly incidence of Thrips on brinjal for Rabi 2025-26 Thrips population differed significantly among the nutrient-management treatments over the observation period. Population density increased with crop age, with the highest values generally occurring during the later SMWs. The magnitude of this increase, however, varied considerably among treatments. The pooled population extended from 2.86 to 7.87 thrips per three leaves. T10 maintained an overall mean of 2.86 thrips per three leaves, whereas T 9 , T 7 and T 6 had 4.48, 4.56 and 5.05 thrips per three leaves, respectively. In T 11 , the pooled population reached 7.87 thrips per three leaves. Relative to T 11 , the reduction obtained with T 10 was 63.66%. Reductions of 43.07 and 42.06% were calculated for T 9 and T 7 , respectively. The transformed mean comparison (CD 0 . 05 = 0.03) showed that none of the other treatments was statistically at par with T s0 .
Table 4. Weekly incidence of Jassids on brinjal for Rabi 2025-26 Jassid population increased progressively from SMW 4 to SMW 14 under all nutrient-management treatments. At SMW 4, the population varied from 2.29 to 3.99 jassids per three leaves. T 10 and T 7 had comparatively lower populations of 2.29 and 2.42 jassids per three leaves, respectively, whereas T 11 registered 3.99 jassids per three leaves. During SMW 5-9, the increase was relatively gradual in the integrated treatments. T10 recorded 3.39, 3.00, 3.35, 3.73 and 4.40 jassids per three leaves during these weeks. In comparison, the untreated control increased from 5.08 jassids at SMW 5 to 9.87 at SMW 9. The later observations showed a further rise in jassid abundance, with T 10 registering 5.29, 6.16, 6.78, 7.69 and 8.09 jassids per three leaves from SMW 10 to 14. On pooled basis, T 10 had 4.92 jassids per three leaves against 10.86 in T 11 , corresponding to a 54.70% reduction over the untreated control. Table 5. Weekly incidence of Whiteflies on brinjal for Rabi 2025-26 Whitefly activity was comparatively low during the initial crop stage and increased thereafter. At SMW 4, population density ranged from 1.27 to 2.35 whiteflies per three leaves. T 10 contained 1.27 whiteflies per three leaves, statistically comparable with T 7 (1.33) and T 9 (1.42), while T 11 showed 2.35 whiteflies per three leaves. Between SMW 5 and SMW 9, the population continued to build up in all treatments. In T 10 , the recorded values were 1.84, 2.33, 3.07, 4.31 and 4.80 whiteflies per three leaves, respectively. The corresponding values in the untreated control were substantially higher, increasing from 3.87 at SMW 5 to 9.38 at SMW 9. During SMW 10-14, T 10 maintained the lowest population, with 8.44 whiteflies per three leaves at the final observation. The pooled mean for T 10 was 5.01 compared with 8.82 in T 11 . Reduction over control reached 43.20% in T 10 , followed by 36.39% in T 9 and 35.49% in T 7 ; T 10 was significantly different from all other treatments (CD 0 . 05 = 0.02). was first observed at 15 DAT and subsequently increased with advancement of the crop. At the initial observation, shoot infestation ranged from 0.00 to 4.00 per cent among the treatments. The integrated nutrient-management treatment T 10 [100% RDF + 20 t FYM + Azotobacter + PSB + Gau-Krupa Amrutam drenching maintained negligible shoot damage during the early crop stage. At 60 DAT, shoot infestation under T 10 was 5.33 per cent compared with 18.67 per cent in T 11 . The difference became more pronounced at 75 DAT, when T 10 recorded 8.00 per cent infestation against 21.67 per cent in the untreated control. At 90 DAT, infestation under T 10 remained at 8.00 per cent, whereas T 11 reached 25.00 per cent. Treatments T 9 , T 7 and T 6 also maintained comparatively lower levels of shoot damage during the later observations, indicating a consistent treatment effect on the development of shoot infestation. The pooled data further demonstrated the magnitude of treatment differences. T 10 had the lowest mean shoot infestation (4.00%), followed by T 9 (5.33%), T 7 (6.00%) and T 6 (7.11%), while the untreated control showed the highest pooled infestation (14.67%). Relative to T 11 , the reduction in shoot infestation was 72.73% in T 10 , 63.67% in T 9 and 59.10% in T 7 . Statistical comparison indicated that T 10 was at par with T 9 , T 7 and T 6 , with a critical difference of 1.26 per cent. Thus, among the nutrient-management treatments evaluated, the integrated treatment T 10 maintained a comparatively lower level of L. orbonalis shoot infestation throughout the crop period. Table 7. Per cent Fruit infestation by Leucinodes orbonalis for Rabi 2025-26 Fruit infestation by Leucinodes orbonalis differed among the nutrient management treatments during the four pickings. T 10 showed the least infestation, ranging from 9.00 to 12.33 per cent. The untreated control (T 11 ) had the highest infestation, ranging from 62.00 per cent in the first picking to 47.33 per cent in the fourth picking. Treatments T 6 , T 7 and T 9 also showed lower fruit infestation than the other treatments. The pooled mean fruit infestation was lowest in T 10 (10.33%), followed by T 9 (16.58%), T 7 (17.08%) and T 6 (20.42%). T 11 recorded the highest pooled infestation (54.33%). The remaining treatments showed mean infestation ranging from 20.50 per cent in T 3 to 37.00 per cent in T 5 . Reduction in fruit infestation over the untreated control was highest in T 10 (80.99%), followed by T 9 (69.48%) and T 7 (68.56%). T 10 was statistically at par with T 9 and T 7 and these treatments were superior to the other treatments. The results showed that T 10 had the lowest fruit infestation among the treatments tested.
Incidence of Leucinodes orbonalis on brinjal
II. Evaluating the effect of organic fertilizer variants on biochemical and morphological parameters in brinjal plants
Table 8. Effect of organic fertilizer variants on biochemical parameters in brinjal Total chlorophyll content, total soluble sugars (TSS) and total phenol content of brinjal shoots and fruits varied significantly among treatments. At 30 and 60 DAT, chlorophyll content was highest in T 10 (3.05 and 3.84 mg g -1 , respectively), on par with T 9 , T 7 , T 6 and T 8 and lowest in the untreated control T 11 (1.48 and 1.88 mg g -1
), reflecting a clear treatment-driven gradient in photosynthetic pigment accumulation. TSS content followed a similar pattern: shoot TSS ranged from 2.56 mg g⁻¹ (T₁₁) to 8.33 mg g⁻¹ (T₁₀) and fruit TSS from 8.41 to 12.70 mg g⁻¹, with T₁₀, T₉, T₇ and T₆ forming a statistically superior group in both tissues (CD₀.₀₅ = 0.18 and 0.19, respectively). Total phenol content mirrored this trend, ranging from 1.95-4.24 mg g⁻¹ in shoots and 2.94-5.50 mg g⁻¹ in fruits, again with T₁₀ recording the highest values. The consistent elevation of chlorophyll, sugars and phenolics under T 10 indicates that integrated organic nutrient management enhanced both the photosynthetic and biochemical-defence status of brinjal plants relative to the untreated control, supporting the biochemical basis for the reduced pest incidence observed under this treatment. Table 9. Effect of organic fertilizer variants on morphological parameters in brinjal plants. A Plant height, branch number, leaf area index (LAI), trichome density and marketable yield all responded significantly to nutrient management. Plant height peaked at 90 DAT in T 10 (92.20 cm), on par with T 7 , T 9 and T 6 , against a minimum of 54.13 cm in T 11 ; branch number similarly peaked in T 10 (55.60 plant -1 ) versus 27.60 in the control. Leaf Area Index and trichome density showed comparable trends, with T 10 recording the highest values at all observation stages (LAI 1.47 at 90 DAT; trichome density 3.03 mm -2 at 90 DAT), both significantly greater than the untreated control (LAI 0.46; trichome density 2.39 mm -2 ), indicating superior canopy development and enhanced physical defence structures under integrated nutrition. Marketable fruit yield was highest in T 10 (5.15 kg plot -1 ; 2.77 t ha -1 ), statistically at par with T 9 (2.65 t ha -1 ) and T 6 (2.58 t ha -1 ) and drastically higher than the untreated control (0.96 t ha -1 ) (CD = 0.61 kg plot -1 ), demonstrating that improved vegetative growth and reduced pest pressure under T 10 translated directly into yield advantage. Table 10. Correlation of pest incidence with biochemical parameters of brinjal plant Correlation analysis between pest population and plant biochemical constituents revealed significant negative associations for all parameters studied (N = 11; r 0 . 05 = 0.602). Total chlorophyll content at 60 days after transplanting (DAT) exhibited a highly significant negative correlation with shoot and fruit borer infestation (r = -0.980), indicating that plants with greater chlorophyll accumulation sustained substantially lower borer damage. Similarly strong negative correlations were recorded between chlorophyll content and populations of whitefly (r = -0.953), aphid (r = -0.931), thrips (r = -0.919) and jassid (r = -0.897), suggesting that enhanced photosynthetic pigment status is closely associated with reduced susceptibility to the sucking-pest complex. Total soluble sugar (TSS) content showed an equally pronounced inverse relationship with pest incidence, with the strongest association observed between shoot TSS at 60 DAT and shoot borer infestation (r = -0.980), followed by fruit TSS and fruit borer infestation (r = -0.750). Total phenol content recorded the highest correlation coefficient among all biochemical parameters, with shoot phenol at 60 DAT showing an r value of -0.983 against shoot borer infestation, underscoring the central role of phenolic compounds in mediating hostplant resistance. The uniformly high negative correlation coefficients across chlorophyll, sugar and phenolic fractions indicate that these biochemical constituents function as reliable physiological indicators of pest resistance in brinjal. Since concentrations of all three were significantly elevated under integrated nutrient management, the results support a biochemically mediated resistance mechanism, wherein balanced organic and inorganic fertilization enhances the plant's inherent defence potential against its major insect pests. Table 11. Correlation of pest incidence with morphological parameters of brinjal plant Morphological traits of brinjal plants were also significantly and negatively correlated with pest population levels (N = 11; r 0 . 05 = 0.602). Plant height at 60 DAT showed a strong negative association with shoot borer infestation (r = -0.916), while branch number per plant at 90 DAT recorded the highest correlation coefficient observed among morphological parameters, with aphid population (r = -0.951), indicating that architecturally vigorous plants were markedly less prone to sucking-pest colonization. Leaf area index (LAI) exhibited consistently strong negative correlations with pest incidence at all crop growth stages, with the closest associations recorded at 90 DAT for aphid (r = -0.946) and whitefly (r = -0.917) populations. Trichome density followed a comparable trend, with the strength of the negative correlation increasing from 60 to 90 DAT (e.g., jassid: r = -0.894 to -0.911), reflecting the progressive contribution of physical surface defences to pest deterrence as the canopy matured. Marketable fruit yield was strongly and negatively correlated with fruit borer infestation (r = -0.917), directly linking reduced pest pressure to improved productivity. Taken together, these results demonstrate that enhanced vegetative vigour, canopy density and trichome development all promoted under integrated nutrient management constitute measurable morphological correlates of pest resistance, reinforcing the biochemical evidence (Table 11) for a nutrition-mediated defence response in brinjal.
Discussion
The present investigation demonstrated that nutrient-management treatments significantly influenced the pest complex, biochemical characteristics, morphological traits and yield of brinjal cv. Konkan Prabha. T 10 (100% RDF + 20 t FYM + Azotobacter + PSB + Gau-Krupa Amrutam drenching) consistently recorded the lowest populations of aphid, thrips, jassid and whitefly and the lowest shoot and fruit infestation of Leucinodes orbonalis, whereas the untreated control recorded the highest pest incidence. This is consistent with Chumei et al. (2013) [1] , who reported improved growth and productivity of brinjal under integrated application of inorganic fertilizers, FYM and biofertilizers. The present investigation revealed that the incidence of major insect pests of brinjal, viz., aphid (Aphis gossypii Glover), thrips (Thrips tabaci Lindeman), whitefly (Bemisia tabaci Gennadius), jassid (Amrasca biguttula biguttula Ishida) and shoot and fruit borer (Leucinodes orbonalis Guenée), was significantly influenced by nutrient management regime. Populations of sucking pests increased progressively from the vegetative to the reproductive stage, while shoot infestation by L. orbonalis gave way to fruit infestation as fruiting advanced (Nirmala et al., 2016) [4] .
T 10 also recorded the highest chlorophyll, soluble sugars and phenol contents, together with superior plant growth and trichome density. Among these traits, phenol and trichome density provide the strongest biological support for an association with reduced L. orbonalis infestation. Prasad et al. (2014) [5] reported a negative association between phenol content and L. orbonalis infestation, while Kafy et al. (2025) [3] demonstrated negative relationships between phenol/trichome density and borer infestation. The correlation analysis further showed strong negative associations between pest incidence and the measured biochemical and morphological traits. However, because these correlations were based on 11 treatment means, interpreted as associations rather than proof of causation. Notably, Kafy et al. (2025) [3] reported different relationships for some traits, particularly chlorophyll and sugars; therefore, these parameters should not universally be described as resistance factors.
The highest marketable yield was recorded in T 10 (5.15 kg plot -1 ; 2.77 t ha -1 ) and was statistically at par with T 9 and T 6 , whereas the untreated control recorded only 0.96 t ha -1 . Overall, the results indicate that integrated nutrient management combining RDF, FYM and biofertilizers with Gau-Krupa Amrutam was associated with reduced pest incidence, improved plant biochemical and morphological attributes and greater marketable yield under the conditions of the present experiment.
Tables
I. Assesing pest population dynamics under differential fertilizer regimes in brinjal
Conclusion
The study demonstrated that integrated nutrient management significantly improved pest suppression, plant growth, biochemical attributes and marketable yield of brinjal. Among the evaluated treatments, T 10 (100% RDF + 20 t FYM + Azotobacter + PSB + GKA drenching) recorded the lowest incidence of major insect pests, higher phenolic content and trichome density and superior growth and yield attributes. The treatment produced the highest marketable yield of 5.15 kg plot -1 (2.77 t ha -1 ). Overall, the results indicate that integration of mineral fertilizers, FYM, biofertilizers and GKA can form an effective nutrient-management approach for improving crop performance and reducing pest infestation in brinjal.
Acknowledgement
Affiliation Address VS Khatmode M.Sc. Scholar, Department of Agricultural Entomology, Dr. Balasaheb Sawant Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth, Dapoli, Dist. Ratnagiri, Maharashtra, India SS Chavan Subject Matter Specialist, KVK Lanja Dist. Ratnagiri, Maharashtra, India BD Shinde Professor, Maharashtra Council of Agricultural Education and Research Pune, Maharashtra, India. MC Kasture Head and Professor, Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Dr. Balasaheb Sawant Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth, Dapoli, Dist. Ratnagiri, Maharashtra, India VA Rajemahadik Associate Professor of Agronomy and Principal Investigator, AICRP on Agrometeorology. Dr. Balasaheb Sawant Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth, Dapoli, Dist. Ratnagiri, Maharashtra, India RT Shelke Ph.D. Scholar, Department of Agricultural Entomology, Dr. Balasaheb Sawant Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth, Dapoli, Dist. Ratnagiri, Maharashtra, India ML Kondalkar Ph.D. Scholar, Department of Agricultural Entomology, Dr. Balasaheb Sawant Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth, Dapoli, Dist. Ratnagiri, Maharashtra, India TR Dalvi M.Sc. Scholar, Department of Agricultural Entomology, Dr. Balasaheb Sawant Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth, Dapoli, Dist. Ratnagiri, Maharashtra, India NA Zende M.Sc. Scholar, Department of Agricultural Entomology, Dr. Balasaheb Sawant Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth, Dapoli, Dist. Ratnagiri, Maharashtra, India
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- How to cite this article: Khatmode V, Chavan S, Shinde B, Kasture M, Rajemahadik V, Shelke R, et al. Effect of organic fertilizers on pest complex of brinjal Solanum melongena L. International Journal of Advanced Biochemistry Research. 2026;SP-10(10):299-310. doi: https://www.doi.org/10.33545/261
- 2026.v10.i10Sd.10293 NA Zende M.Sc. Scholar, Department of Agricultural Entomology, Dr. Balasaheb Sawant Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth, Dapoli, Dist. Ratnagiri, Maharashtra, India International Journal of Advanced Biochemistry Research https://www.biochemjournal.com 26174707, 2026, 10(10), Downloaded from https://www.doi.org/10.33545/26174693.2026.v10.i10Sd.10293 by International Journal of Advanced Biochemistry Research on [03/10/2026]. See the Terms and Conditions (https://www.biochemjournal.com) for rules of use; OA articles are governed by the applicable Creative Commons License
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