Online First Article Optimizing Transplanting Dates for the Management of Brinjal Shoot and Fruit Borer and Better Crop Yield under Field Conditions Wali Muhammad 1 *, Humayun Javed 1 , Munir Ahmad 1 and Tariq Mukhtar 2 1 Department of Entomology, Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan 2 Department of Plant Pathology, Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan Article Information Received 03 January 2020 Revised 27 February 2020 Accepted 03 March 2020 Available online 03 August 2020 Authors’ Contribution WM and HJ designed the study, executed experimental work, analyzed the data and prepared the manuscript. TM and MA supervised the experimental work, analyzed the data and edited the manuscript. Key words Leucinodes orbonalis, sowing time, crop yield, fruit infestation, eggplant Brinjal shoot and fruit borer (Leucinodes orbonalis Guenee) causes severe crop yield losses. Utilization of the ecological approach through different sowing times might provide its long-term control and safety to the environment. In the present study, effect of four sowing dates was evaluated on the infestation of L. orbonalis on brinjal at two locations in the Pothwar region of Pakistan. The study revealed that sowing dates infuenced infestation by brinjal shoot and fruit borer. Shoot infestation signifcantly varied on brinjal at both locations sown at different dates. The maximum average shoot infestation of 9.7% was observed on late sown crop (10 th of April) while the minimum average shoot infestation (8.9%) was recoded on crop sown on 20 th of March. Square infestation on brinjal plants sown at different times was at par at both the locations and was found slightly higher at farmer feld. The maximum average fruit infestation (52.8 %) was observed at URF Koont on early sown crop (1 st of March) while the minimum (46.3 %) was observed on crop sown on 20 th of March. At Rawat, the maximum mature infestation (54.5%) was observed on late sown crop (30 th of April) while the minimum mature fruit infestation (47.8%) was recorded on crop sown at 20 th of March. Similarly, the percentage of damaged fruit was higher (54.1%) on crop sown at 30 th of April at Rawat while the minimum damage of 49.6% was observed on the crop sown on 20 th of March. At URF Koont, the percentage of damaged fruit was statistically at par among all the four treatments. Yield losses were statistically at par at URF Koont ranging from 24.6% to 25% in all the treatments. However, the minimum yield loss of 22% was recorded on crop sown at 20 th of March. At URF Koont, the maximum yield loss of 17% was recorded on early sown crop (1 st of March) while the minimum yield loss of 13.1% was observed on crop sown at 20 th of March. It is therefore, concluded that change in sowing dates can reduce the pest infestation and result in the enhancement of yield. INTRODUCTION I n Pakistan, brinjal is cultivated over 8,368 hectares with an average production of 83,832 tons including 4,460 hectares from Punjab with 54,223 tons production (GOP, 2017). Its year-round production results into pest problems from nursery to harvesting. Brinjal shoot and fruit borer (Leucinodes orbonalis) is considered as the most devastating insect pest of brinjal crop and damages almost all plant parts especially fruiting parts (Mall et al., 1992; Rajiv, 2018; Aslam et al., 2019a). Its damage may reach up to 78% on shoots and 66% in fruits (Singh and Singh, 2000) with total yield losses to the tune of 70-90% (Reddy and Srinivasa, 2004). Almost all the available insecticides have been used * Corresponding author: walientomologist@gmail.com 0030-9923/2021/0001-0001 $ 9.00/0 Copyright 2021 Zoological Society of Pakistan for its control (Khaire et al., 1986; Ogah, 2011) which have negative impacts on environment and human health. This accentuates the need for alternate methods including cultural control, crop rotation, biological control, resistant varieties and alteration of sowing time (Kuppuswamy and Balasubramanian, 1980; Aslam et al., 2019b; Javed et al., 2019a, b; Mukhtar and Kayani, 2019). Synchronization of sowing time may be helpful for getting higher yields and reduction in pest populations as change in sowing and plantation time helped avoiding the oviposition of certain pests and attack of migrants (Hill, 1990). This change was also found helpful in reducing pest attack and resulted in proliferation of their natural enemies. A reduction in aphid population in cowpea felds was reported by changing sowing time and using the clean seed. In Uganda, IPM practices performed more effciently when combined with proper sowing time and maintaining plant population. Adjustment in planting time helped in escaping vulnerable stages of plant before pest infestation ABSTRACT Pakistan J. Zool., pp 1-7, 2021. DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.17582/journal.pjz/20200103180112