Evaluation of augmentative biological control strategy against major borer insect pests of sugarcane—a large-scale field appraisal

Egyptian Journal of Biological Pest Control

Table 4 Cost of cultivation and economics returns from various treatments in the management of S. excerptalis

Year	Treatments	Yield (t ha⁻¹)	Cost of cultivation^b (USD ha⁻¹)	Gross returns (USD ha⁻¹)	Benefit:cost ratio
2015	Biocontrol practice^a	71.25	1804.67	3122.64	1.73
	Farmers’ practice	82.54	1862.70	3617.44	1.94
	Untreated control	64.10	1793.56	2809.28	1.57
2016	Biocontrol practice^a	71.60	1816.09	3112.58	1.71
	Farmers’ practice	83.00	1868.77	3608.16	1.93
	Untreated control	65.00	1801.36	2825.67	1.57
2017	Biocontrol practice^a	68.75	1996.24	3228.71	1.62
	Farmers’ practice	81.13	2055.65	3810.11	1.85
	Untreated control	61.90	1980.59	2907.01	1.47
2018	Biocontrol practice^a	71.08	1891.93	3158.21	1.67
	Farmers’ practice	82.50	1943.89	3665.62	1.89
	Untreated control	64.80	1877.60	2879.17	1.53
2019	Biocontrol practice^a	72.00	1895.14	3126.93	1.65
	Farmers’ practice	84.80	1948.73	3682.82	1.89
	Untreated control	66.00	1881.13	2866.35	1.52
Pooled mean	Biocontrol practice^a	70.94	1880.11	3148.93	1.67
Pooled mean	Farmers’ practice	82.79	1935.14	3675.67	1.90
	Untreated control	64.36	1866.14	2857.45	1.53

^a8 releases of T. japonicum at 50,000 per ha at 10 days interval during April to June; price of sugarcane: USD 43.83, 43.47, 46.96, 44.43, and 43.43 tonne⁻¹ during 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019, respectively
^bIncludes trichocard/insecticide + labor cost