Estimation of per Cent Earhead Damage and Yield Loss Due to Earhead Caterpillar, helicoverpa Armigera under Natural Condition on kharif sorghum

Variant cultivars (varieties and hybrids) of sorghum were estimated for per cent earhead damage and yield loss caused by earhead caterpillar, Helicoverpa armigera. Within varieties DSV-6 recorded lowest per cent (26.66) earhead damage and high yield of 29.25 q/ha without taking protection. In plots where protection measures were taken with malathion DSV-6 recorded highest (95.0) per cent earhead avoidable damage but DSV-3 recorded highest per cent avoidable yield loss of 27.01. Among hybrids, CSH-14 and CSH-23 recorded lowest and equal (16.66) per cent earhead damage with yield of 36.22 and 37.66 q/ha, respectively in unprotected plots. Whereas in protected plots (malathion 5D), CSH-16 recorded highest (92.6) per cent of earhead avoidable damage but DSV-3 recorded highest per cent avoidable loss of 27.01. If we look out the results, 93.2 per cent of earhead avoidable damage and 17.46 per cent avoidable yield loss was noticed in protected plots over unprotected irrespective of cultivars.