Efficacy of bio-pesticides and botanicals in the management of Whitefly (Bemisia tabaci Genn.) and yield improvement in Black Gram (Vigna mungo L.)

A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of bio-pesticides and botanical extracts against whitefly (Bemisia tabaci Genn.) in black gram (Vigna mungo L.). Nine treatments, including Beauveria bassiana, Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki, neem oil, NSKE, Verticillium lecanii, Karanj oil, Metarhizium anisopliae, garlic extract, and an untreated control, were applied to assess their impact on pest suppression and yield performance. Significant differences were observed among treatments in reducing nymph populations and improving grain yield. Beauveria bassiana recorded the lowest mean nymph population (8.27) and highest grain yield (13.85 qt ha⁻¹), followed by B. thuringiensis (7.98; 12.89 qt ha⁻¹) and neem oil (8.03; 12.55 qt ha⁻¹). The untreated control exhibited the highest whitefly population (9.96) and the lowest yield (5.40 qt ha⁻¹). Overall, entomopathogenic fungi and neem-based botanicals demonstrated superior pest control and yield enhancement compared to other treatments. The findings confirm that eco-friendly bio-pesticides, particularly Beauveria bassiana and Bacillus thuringiensis, provide a sustainable alternative to chemical insecticides for effective whitefly management in black gram cultivation.