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Chemical insecticides have hazardous effects on human health and ecosystem hence there is a dire need of the hour to use non chemical eco-friendly tactics for management of major insect pests. While the use of traps and other attract-and-kill devices in pest management strategies to reduce fruit fly (Tephritidae) populations has proved to be efficient, therefore the current study was designed to evaluate different fruit fly traps and lure combinations for monitoring and eco-friendly management of fruit fly (Bactrocera spp) in peach orchard at Agriculture Research Institute Swat. Among the tested traps, cylindrical bottle traps trapped the highest number of fruit flies/trap (155 fruit flies/trap/week), followed by Fruition NOVA ® trap (34 fruit flies/trap/week) and Yellow sticky trap (12 fruit flies/trap/week). Similarly for different lures the sequence is Methyl eugenol (134 fruit flies/trap/week)> Methyl eugenol + Cue lure (95 fruit flies/trap/week)> Fruition lure (26 fruit flies/trap/lure)> Cue lure (14 fruit flies/trap/week), while among different traps and lures combination Cylindrical bottle trap impregnated with Methyl eugenol trapped the highest number of fruit flies (321 fruit flies/trap/week) while the lowest number of fruit flies was trapped by Yellow sticky traps impregnated with Cue lure (10 fruit flies/trap/week). Moreover, among different species trapped in peach orchard during 18 weeks B. zonata was found to be the most abundant (80 fruit flies/trap/week), followed by B. invadense (45 fruit flies/trap/week), B. dorsalis (7 fruit flies/trap/week), B. cucurbitae (1 fruit fly/trap/week) and B. tau (1 fruit fly/trap/week) while trapping population remained highest in mid-season (July, 2021) and it remained lowest at onset (June, 2021) and end of the season (September, 2021).

Pakhtunkhwa is 61.6 thousand hectares with a production of 147.5 thousand tons and yield of 2103 kg ha -1 (MNFSR, 2019-20). The yield of rice per hectare in the province is lower than the country average yield and this may be due to various factors including limited experience of cultivation, environmental stress, improper management of insect pests and diseases etc. Insect pests are the major constraints in reducing the rice productivity, besides diseases and weeds Abstract | Rice stem borer (Scirpophaga incertulas) infest the plants from seedling to maturity, which is one of the key pests that infest the rice crop at regular intervals. It is pivotal to find out management strategies for this pest for higher production of rice. Research experiments were conducted to investigate the impact of different rice varieties and synthetic insecticides on the population density of rice stem borer. Experiments were conducted in randomized complete block design (RCBD) repeated three times. The results revealed that the minimum population density of dead hearts (3.50%) and white heads (7.08%) were recorded in Fakher Malakand variety, while the maximum population of dead hearts (7.89%) and white heads (13.7%) were observed in JP-5 variety. Yield analysis showed that maximum yield (2780 kg ha -1 ) was recorded in the Fakher Malakand variety. Data regarding the efficacy of different insecticides showed that maximum percent biological efficacy against rice stem borer (52.21%) was observed in Lambda-cyhalothrin, while minimum percent biological efficacy against rice stem borer (14.91) was recorded in Lufenuron. In case of the insecticides, minimum yield (1790 kg ha -1 ) was recorded in control plot, while maximum yield (1875 kg ha -1 ) was obtained from plots treated with Lambda-cyhalothrin. To achieve optimum production, our findings highlighted the importance of properly integrating resistant cultivars and chemical management techniques for rice stem borers.

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Current research work was conducted during 2016 in Swat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to evaluate the efficacy of synthetic insecticides (Furadan-3G and Thimet-5G), botanical extracts (Azadirachta indica and Parthenium hysterophorus) and Trichogramma chilonis (Tricho-cards) in comparison with control against onion budworm in onion seed crop, Allium cepa. The statistical design used for experiment 1 st was Randomized Complete Block with 3 treatments having 3 replications, whereas 2 nd experiment was consisted of 4 treatments and 3 replications. In experiment-1, the lowest mean number of larvae of H. armigera was recorded in Furadan (0.48 plant-1) followed by Thimet (0.50 plant-1) and the highest was recorded in control plot (0.56 plant-1). In experiment-2 the lowest means number of larvae plant-1 was recorded in Trico-cards (0.56) followed by A. indica (0.59) and Parthenium (0.61) whereas the highest were noted in control (0.75). The highest thousand seed weight (8.00g) was obtained from Furadan treated plot followed by Thimet (7.00g) and control (1.67g) respectively. Significantly lowest seeds plant-1 was noted in control (618.8) which was statistically at par with Parthenium (812.7). The highest average yield was recorded in Furadan (521.00 kg/ha) followed by Thimet (512.00 kg/ha), Tricho-cards (475.33 kg/ha) and control (330.00 kg/ha). The maximum biological efficacy was reported in Furadan (36.00 %) followed by Parthenium (18.67 %). In lab research it was recorded that both Neem 5% and Parthenium 7% were safe for Trichogramma chilonis. The use of Neem and Parthenium in combination with bio control agent is recommended for the IPM program.