Integrated Pest Management of the Pests of Chick Pea in Hyderabad District

Abstract

Summary of the Result Achieved during The first Year (1995-96) The research project entitled, “Integrated Pest management of the pests of chick pea in “Hyderabad district” was started on 1-8-1995. During the study period of one year (1995-1996) the research work was carried out in 4 talukas of Hyderabad District i.e., Hyderabad, Tando Allahyar, Tondo Mohammad Khan and Hala. The results achieved during the period of one (1995-1996) indicated that chickpea is favourable plus crop grown in many parts of district Hyderabad. The research observations indicated that many insect pests attacked chickpea crop and due to their attack the yield of this crop adversely affected in many areas. In some areas where proper control measures were not adapted, Zero production was recorded. Some of the significant insect pests recorded during the study period are: 1. Chickpea pod borer, Heliothis armigera (Hubn) 2. Tobacco Caterpillar, Spodoptera litura (F.) 3. Chickpea cutworm, Agrotis ipsilon (Hfn) 4. Chickpea semilooper, Plusia orichalcea 5. Whitefly, Bemisia tabaci 6. Thrips, Thrips tabaci Among all of the above mentioned pests, chickpea pod borer was the major insect pest of this crop, which caused heavy losses to Chickpea crop in many areas of district. 1. CHICKPEA POD BORER, HELIOTHIS ARMIGERA The results indicated that cutdown H. armigera was the major pest of chickpea crop in all parts of the district. It started its attacked on 3 weeks old crop during vegetative growth stage. The pest remained active from January to March. The maximum pest population was observed during the end of February at pod formation stage of the crop. The results also indicated that H. armigera developed quickly with the age of chickpea crop. The fast development of larvae was observed during pod formation stages. 2. BERSEEM CATERPILLAR, SPODOPTERA LITURA The cutworm spodoptera spp. was also recorded on chickpea crop but it was less in number that H. armigera. The pest remained on the crop from January till March in all parts of district Hyderabad. The maximum pest population was recorded during 1st week of February. 3. CHICKPEA CUTWORM, AGROTIS IPSOLON The cutworm Agrotis spp. was also present on chickpea crop in all parts of district Hyderabad. Its population was similar in number as that of Spodoptera spp. The pest remained on crop from January to March. The maximum population was recorded in the 4th week of January. 4. SUCKING INSECT PESTS Among sucking insect pests the thrips were found attacking chickpea crop in many parts of district Hyderabad. The other sucking pests like jassids and white flies were occasionally observed. The thrips started attacking chickpea crop from 4th week of Decemeber till 4th week of March. The maximum population was observed during 4th week of January and 1st week of February. 5. PARASITES Four Parasitoids were recorded on cutworms during the study period. The parasite compoletis spp. was found in the larvae of H.armigera on Chickpea crop. The apanteles spp. was observed on the larvae of A.psilon. The Trichogramma spp. was found in the eggs of H,armigera and spodoptera spp. wheras the Exorista spp. parasite was found on the larvae of H.armigera. Effect of sowing time on the population of insect pests of chickpea In a separate experiment it was observed that sowing time had a greater influence on the population of insects pests of chickpea. The results indicated that chickpea crop grown in the month of September 1995 has less number of insect pest. Cultivar resistance of chickpea against the insect pests About twenty two cultivars of Chickpea were brought from Pulse Research Institute, Dokri and were grown at Tandojam. The results indicated that new cultivars were significantly resistant against the insect pests as compared to local black and white varieties. Summary of the Results achieved during Second Year (1996-97) 1. Population and extent of damage caused by chickpea pod borer, Heliothis armigera on chickpea. The results achieved so far indicated that the caterpillar of H.armigera attacked first on the vegetative parts and tender foliage of the crop. The attack was started at about 40 days after germination. At flowering and pod formation stage, the caterpillar fed on flower buds, flowers and developing seeds in the pods. After eating seed of one pod, the larvae migrated to the next. The results indicated that in October sown crop the population of caterpillars was 1 to 4 (means 2.6 larvae) per plant. The overall infestation of the plants was recorded as 8 to 28 percent (means 18.5 percent). The peak population was noted during the months of January and February (Table-1) In November sown crop, the population of caterpillars remained between 1-5 (means 3.28) per Plant. The overall infestation of the plants was observed between 8 to 30 percent (means 20.28 percent). The peak population was recorded during the months of February and March (Table-2). These results thus suggest that proper time of sowing of chickpea crop in Hyderabad district is during the month of October. Late sown crop will have more attack of insect pests as compared to October sown crop. 2. Population dynamics of adult moths of Heliothis Armigera during October to May on Chickpea Crop. The results suggested that maximum catcheas of the adult moths of H,armigera were obtained during the months of March and April with an abrupt decline in the month of May. During the end of October the month population was moderately increased but that was decreased during December to February. The Overall data indicated that in Hyderabad district, the H.armigera completed 3 generations, in the months of October, March and April. The present studies would help in forecasting pest outbreaks for timely guidance of the farmers of Sindh. 3. Capability of different pyrethroids against gram pod borer, H.armigera on Chickpea under laboratory conditions. The results indicated that higher doses (0.4% and 0.8%) of ripcard, Decis, Sumicidin and Ambush Pyrethroid inseecticides were more effective in causing the morality of 3rd instar larvae of H.armigera under laboratory conditions when they were fed treated leaves of chickpea. This suggests that H.armigera has developed resistance against many insecticides including pyrethroiuds. Among all the insecticides the overall percent mortality was brought bt Ripcard (89.58%) followed by Decis (86.11%), Sumicidin (81.25%) and Ambush (77.80%). The results thus suggest that all the pyrethroids were effective against H.armigera larvae. 4. Effect of Cascade Atabran, Dimilin and Match (Chitin inhibitors) against H.armigera on Chickpea under laboratory conditions. The results indicate that 50% mortality of the 3rd instar larvae of H.armigera at 120 hours after treatment was caused by March at 0.0075% concentration. It was followed by Cascade (0.0076%), Atabron (0.0133%) and Dimilin (0.0181%). The results thus suggest that all the insect growth inhibitors were effective in controlling H.armigera. However, Match and Cascade were comparatively more effective than Atabron and Dimilin. It is therefore suggested that the chitin inhibitors are very toxic at lower doses. Due to environmental compatability of these chemicals, they can be regarded as suitable for IPM control strategies against H.armigera. 5. Effect of fertilizer applications, weed control and insecticidal applications of the population of H.armigera on chickpea. The results suggested that when Thioden insecticide was combined with fertilizer application and weed control, the highest mean reduction percentage of larval population of H.armigera the highest yield (kg/ha) was achieved under field conditions. It was followed by Thioden treatment combined with fertilizer application and thioden treatment alone. All the three conditions were significantly different at p<0.01 level upto two weeks after both applications. 6. Biological control of the insect pests of chickpea crop. The results on the taxonomic status of the parasite and predator fauna revealed that all the parasitoids were Hymenoptera. Among the predator species, two of them were coleopteran, two hemipteran, one Neuroteran and one Hymenoptera. The studies suggested that Trichogramma chilonis, and Telnomussp parasitized the eggs of H,armigera. The parasite campoletis chlorideae was found parasitizing the larvae of H.armigera. Among the predators Chrysopa sp. Coccinella septempunctata and Coccinella undecimpunctata were founf preying on the soft bodied insects and young Heliothis larvae. The other predators like Geocories sp. And Orius sp. were observed preying on the young larvae of H.armigera. However Delta sp. paralyzed the mature larvae of H.armigera to take them to her nest before oviposition. Mean percent parasitism of Trichogramma sp. and Camnpolestis sp. was vaiable and dependent on the insect pest and host plant phenology. For eample, during vegetative growth stages of chickpea, the parasitism of Trichogramma sp. commenced and reached to its peak during flowering and pod formation stage. The peak parasitism of Compolestis sp. was recorded towards the maturity of the crop. The prevalence of all the predators was not a consistant phenomenon.