Efficiency of controlling methods of cotton noctuid (Helicoverpa armigera Hbn.) number in sunflower sowings

Cotton noctuid ( Helicoverpa armigera Hbn.) (1805) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is a widely spread in Palearctic species. It is the main pest of many agricultural crops, which cause annual damage in the world agriculture more than two billion dollars. Therefore, the insecticide treatments are essential to control it. Often pesticide application increases the insect resistance that leads to doses increase and (or) replacement by new highly toxic chemicals. Therefore, a search of the safety and reliable protection means of agricultural crops against the pest has been still a problem. In 2017-2019, the efficiency of insecticides against H. armigera in sunflower sowings was studied in the V.S. Pustovoit All-Russian Research Institute of Oil Crops (Krasnodar, Russia). The number of H. armigera caterpillars in 2017 was at a level of 3.2 pcs/plant, in 2018 - 4.5, and in 2019 reached 6.0 pcs/plant. The insecticides based on Bifetrin + Chlorpirifos, EC (87%) and Chlorantraniliprol, CS (91 %) had the highest biological efficiency. Phytoverm V, EC was the best organic insecticide - 56 %. In an industrial experiment, sunflower plants treatment with Beta-cipermetrin + Dimetoat, EC (standard) and Chlorantraniliprol, CS caused the decrease in the caterpillar number by 71.7 and 97.0%, respectively. Sunflower yield in the variants with insecticides were reliably higher than in the control one, the saved yield reached 0.23 and 0.39 t/ha.