UTTAR PRADESH JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY

A field experiment was carried out to assess the bio-efficacy of indigenous bio-formulations like neemastra, brahmastra, agniastra, neem seed kernel extract 5%, neem oil and a chemical standard (Quinalphos 25 EC) against major insect pests of okra viz. leaf hopper, Amrasca biguttula biguttula and shoot and fruit borer, Earias vittella at the College of Agriculture, Campus Azamgarh, ANDUA&T Ayodhya, during 2023–24. The study was conducted using a randomized block design, comprising three replications. Results revealed that all bio-formulations significantly reduced pest populations compared to the untreated control. Among treatments of bio-formulations, Neemastra demonstrated strong activity against leafhoppers (84.26% reduction), while Agniastra and Brahmastra were the most effective against shoot and fruit borer, achieving 63.1–64.4% and 48.4–57.9% reduction, respectively. Yield performance reflected pest suppression trends, with the highest fruit yield recorded in Quinalphos (14.3 t ha⁻¹), followed by Brahmastra (13.50 t ha⁻¹), Agniastra (12.80 t ha⁻¹), and Neemastra (11.80 t ha⁻¹), all significantly superior to the control (8.60 t ha⁻¹). The study highlights that while chemical control remains most effective, indigenous formulations especially Agniastra, Brahmastra, and Neemastra offer promising eco-friendly alternatives for integrated pest management in okra cultivation.