SURVEILLANCE OF INSECT-PEST:AN EFFECTIVE PLANT PROTECTION APPROACH FOR INCREASING PRODUCTIVITY AND PROFITABILITY OF GROUNDNUT (ARACHIS HYPOGAEA L.) IN RAIGARH DISTRICT OF CHHATTISGARH

The study was carried out the identify major insect-pest in different crop stages and evaluating the performance of improved cultivars with scientific package and practices on production and productivity of groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.). Cluster frontline demonstrations (CFLDs) were conducted during kharif 2018 with K-6 (kadri-6) variety of groundnut. It was observed that 11 species of insect- pests were found to infest the different growth stages of groundnut crop. Most of the major and minor pests infested during the vegetative to pre-maturity stages (45-95 DAS) and the maximum infestation occurred during pod formation and pod filling stages (50-80 DAS) of the crop. The average yield of groundnut under recommended practices were 18.05 q ha-1 as compare to 15.28 q ha-1 recorded in farmer’s practice, average yield increase of 18.13 per cent and additional return of 14240.03 Rs ha-1, respectively. The results revealed that the benefit cost ratio (B:C) of recommended practice (CFLDs) were 1.46 as compared to 1.22 in farmers practice. The extension gap 2.77 q ha-1 and technology gap 1.95 q ha-1 was recorded. Therefore, the results clearly indicates that the use of improved varieties and package and practices with scientific intervention under frontline demonstration programme contribute to increase the productivity and profitability of oilseeds in Chhattisgarh state