Eco-friendly management of Earias vittella (Fabricius) using a novel sequential pest management strategy in okra ecosystem

Earias vittella, the shoot and fruit borer, is one of the most destructive pests of okra, often causing yield losses exceeding 40%. Farmers largely depend on synthetic insecticides, leading to resistance, resurgence and ecological imbalance. Field trials were conducted during Summer 2022 and Kharif 2023 in a randomised block design (three replications) to evaluate the sequential pest management strategies integrating chemical, microbial and botanical agents. Sequential application of Metarhizium anisopliae (5 g L−1) → emamectin benzoate (0.5 g L−1) → azadirachtin (2 mL L−1) significantly reduced shoot infestation (2.33–5.68%) and fruit damage (6.83–12.49%), while maintaining coccinellid predator abundance. This treatment produced the highest marketable yield (190–202 q ha−1) with superior cost–benefit returns. The findings demonstrate that integrating microbial and botanical agents with selective insecticides offers a sustainable, eco-compatible, and economically rewarding solution for managing E. vittella in okra under open field conditions.