Occurrence of the cotton boll worm (Helicoverpa armigera) Lepidoptera: Noctuidae on cotton crop from Hyderabad, Pakistan

Helicoverpa armigera (American bollworm) is major lepidopteron pest of many crops throughout the world. In Pakistan, it caused severe infestation to cotton, tobacco, pea, tomato, cucurbits etc. Present study carried out in four cotton-growing localities of Hyderabad Sindh, Pakistan (Saeedabad, Hala, Tandoallahyar and Jamshoro). Synthetic sex pheromones 97:3 mixture of Z11-16 ALd and Z9 -16 ALd Hexedecenal used for occurrence of Helicoverpa armigera. During present study, it was observed that adult moths of H. armigera was found in noticeable number in Hala locality and very little number found in Saeedabad while it was not recorded in remaining two localities. Present study revealed that H. armigera is not a major pest of cotton crop, but previously it was consider as a major pest of this area.