Bhendi is a good source of various vitamins and minerals including vitamin C, vitamin K, vitamin A and dietary fiber. The pods are known for their high antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties [1]. Insect pests are important limiting factors in okra production [2]. The shoot and fruit borer, Earias vittella has been documented as leading to cause a net yield loss of 13.8 to 41.6 percent in okra [3]. This pest may cause 40–50% damage of fruit in some areas of south-east Asian countries. In India the damage due to Earias vittella is up to 35% of the total harvested yield. A variety of approaches have traditionally been employed for pest management encompassing cultural, mechanical, biological and chemical methods to control insect population. However, the excessive use of insecticides has led to consequences such as the pest resurgence, the destruction of natural predators and environmental pollution.
Despite these challenges, chemical control methods still remain the primary defense against various insect pests affecting okra. Nevertheless, the presence of toxic residues in crops and their adverse effects on the soil and environment have underscored the need to develop effective eco-friendly approaches for managing insect pests. Rapid urbanization, industrialization, growing global population, increased food demands, economic development and rising living standards have been identified as the driving forces behind the use of various organic amendments in agriculture/ horticulture. Induced plant resistance plays a significant role in controlling insect pests. When there is absent of natural heritable resistance in the plant, the induced resistance insisting the plant defense mechanisms through the uptake of vital nutrients presents a promising strategy to mitigate the pest population. Among these methods, incorporating silicon into the soil aids in boosting plant productivity by enhancing soil physical and chemical characters in order to increase the availability of nutrients for plants and reducing both biotic and abiotic stresses [4].
Silicon enhances the uptake of essential nutrients by plants. Bhendi is known to be one of the plants that efficiently accumulates silicon. This accumulation can contribute to the plant biotic and abiotic resistance. It can act as a physical barrier by strengthening the plant's cell walls, making it more difficult for insects to feed on plant tissues. Additionally, silicon can induce the production of secondary metabolites and defense compounds that deter insect herbivores and reduce the pest incidence Si provides a clear prophylactic effect against a wide range of insect-feeding guilds, including lepidopteran borers, xylem and phloem feeding insects and other plant feeders [5]. Wang et al. [6], who documented the amendment of biochar as a silicon-releasing agent in agriculture which increased the amount of silicon availability to plant thereby enhanced plant health. The basal application of silicon increased resistance against rice yellow stem borer and leaf folder [7].
A regular monitoring of all important pests in field condition is essential for assessing the incidence and development of insect pests for devising suitable pest management strategies. While certain cultural practices are employed to mitigate the harms caused by insect pests has no comprehensive method been established for controlling these destructive insects. Although chemical control remains the most effective means of managing these insect pests, farmers still heavily depend on chemical insecticides. keeping in this view, the present was study was conducted on mitigating bhendi fruit and shoot borer with the influence of organic amendments such as biochar.