Farm yard manure and neem cake on feeding preference, ovipositional preference and developmental period of coffee berry borer, Hypothenemus hampei

The impact of induced resistance acquired in coffee plants through organic sources of nutrition on berry infestation, feeding preference, ovipositional preference and developmental period of coffee berry borer was assessed. Among the various organic sources of nutrients / amendments tested, application of farm yard manure (FYM) (1.25 t/ha) + neem cake (0.75 t/ha) + azophos (25 kg/ha) followed by FYM + neem cake in two equal splits at four months interval was found to be consistently effective in reducing the infestation of coffee berry borer throughout the period of observations and also less preferred for feeding and oviposition by coffee berry borer and thus exhibited high inhibition for feeding (antifeedant) and ovipositional deterrency. The organics treated plots recorded significantly prolonged larval duration due to neem and it was maximum in FYM [plus or minus] neem cake [plus or minus] azophos (18.76 [plus or minus] 3.14 days) as compared to 13.41 [plus or minus] 2.25 in inorganic NPK. The growth index of berry borer was the least (4.24) in the treatment with FYM [plus or minus] neem cake [plus or minus] azophos as compared to 6.87 in inorganic NPK.