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129
NSave Nature to Survive
4 (1) : 129-132, 2010QUARTERLY
SUCCESSION OF INSECT PESTS ON CHICK PEA, CICER ARIETINUM
LINN. IN RELATION TO CLIMATIC FACTORS IN AGRO-ECOSYSTEM
OF INDO-GANGETIC PLAIN OF BHAGALPUR (BIHAR, INDIA)
S. K. MANDAL AND S. P. ROY*
University Department of ZoologyT. M. Bhagalpur University, Bhagalpur - 812 007E-mail: drsp_roy@yahoo.com
INTRODUCTION
Cicer arietinum (Linn.) commonly called chick pea is an important pulse crop ofthe Indo-Gangetic basin and Tal area, a highly productive region of the Indiansub-continent, are attacked and infested by an array of insect pests causing injuriesto their seedling stage, vegetative stage, flowering stage, pod formation stage, podfilling stage, pod maturity stage of this leguminous plant. Cicer arietinum Linn. isa dominant pulse crop exploited recklessly ranging from vegetables to varieties offood by the people. Pests are dynamic in nature and succession of pests occurwith the nature of the agro-ecosystem and reports are available on the successionof the insect pests of chick pea from the different parts of the country (Singh andSingh, 1978; Shekhar et al., 1991; Subharani and Singh, 2004).Considerablestudy has been done on the pests attacking and infesting chick pea in differentregions of the India (Srivastava, 1964; Pradhan, 1964; Reddy et al., 1998;Prabhakar and Roy, 2008; Mandal et al., 2009).
The perusal of pertinent literature indicate that there is paucity of information onthe succession of insect pests on chick pea in relation to climatic factors exceptthe work of Prabhakar and Roy (2008) and Mandal et al., (2009). Therefore, it isdesirable to take up a detailed study on the succession of insect pest complexes
of chick pea under the agro-climatic conditions prevailing in Indo-Gangetic basin.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The crop was observed weekly from seedling stage till the harvest for the incidenceof various pests and natural enemies during morning hours (7.00 to 9.00 A.M.),noon (12.00-14.00 P M) and evening (17.00-19.00 P M) from the period October,2008 to April, 2009. Absolute population of pests per plant was recorded from 5randomly selected and pre-determined plants per plot in case of pests such aslarvae, weevils, aphids, bugs and predators (coccinellid, spiders, ants and birds)(Pradhan, 1964). The aphid population was recorded randomly from three flowersin each plot. The pods from pre-determined and randomly selected plants (5 perplot) at harvest were opened to count pod borers (larval population).
The physical factors of were obtained from meteorological observatory, SabourAgriculture College, Sabour, Bhagalpur (Rajendra Agriculture University). Theminimum as well as maximum temperature ranges were recorded. The optimum
values of temperature and humidity were also recorded (Table 1).
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The cascade of pests and their succession on different parts of the chick pea,
Cicer arietinum Linn. in seedling, vegetative, flowering , pod filling and pod maturity
stages have been depicted in Table 2. The pest succession on the Cicer arietinum
Received : 26.10.2009
Revised : 16.12.2009
Accepted : 21.01.2010
*Corresponding author
KEY WORDS
Succession
Pests
Chick pea
Phenology
ABSTRACT
The paper deals with the succession of pest
diversity on the pulse crop, Cicer arietinum
Linn., prolifically grown in the agro-ecosystem
of the Indo-Gangetic plain, Tal region of
Bhagalpur (Bihar). It was observed that the
pest species infesting different parts of this
legume plant were foliage, flower, pod, leaf,
stem and root. The status of these pests had
been determined depending upon the rate of
their feeding and extent of damages caused by
them to this pulse crop. The major pests
collected and identified were Odontotermes
obesus, Helicoverpa armigera and minor pests
were Aphis craccivora Koch.Their association
with host plants were analysed in relation to
temperature, humidity, rainfall and wind
velocity, the potent physical factors of the
environment. It was observed that the
phenology of this plant was correlated with
the succession of the pest complexes. Out of
various climatic factors taken into consideration
the combination of temperature and humidity
were found more effective in controlling the
pest species in their ambient environment.
130
S. K. MANDAL AND S. P. ROY
Linn. has been depicted in Plate 1 in which pod borer of chick
pea has been shown.The natural enemies associated with
pests of Cicer arietinum Linn. were shown in Plate 2. The
predators and parasitoids were shown in Plate 2 respectively.
In Plate 2, Fig. 4 and 5 indicates a bird predator which has
been considered as the principal biotic factors controlling
pests in pod maturity stages in Cicer arietinum Linn.
The soil types of the region harbor a rich fauna of termites
Odontotermes obesus (H), seriously infesting the sowing
germination and emergence of chick pea (Table 2). Some
Month TempºC Rain fall R.H.(%) Wind
Max Min m.m. Rainy 7 AM 2 PM velocity
days Km./hr.
Oct. 2008 31.8 21.5 29.4 3 93 65 2.4
Nov. 27.9 14.1 0.0 0 91 51 1.6
Dec. 23.2 12.7 0.0 0 98 70 2.2
Jan. 2009 21.9 9.9 2.7 1 99 64 3.2
Feb. 24.8 9.2 5.4 1 95 49 4.7
Mar. 30.6 12.8 0.0 0 94 31 5.3
Apr. 35.0 19.4 2.8 2 73 36 8.6
Table 1: Monthly weather conditions of the region
Plant stages Succession of pests
Sowing Odontotermes obesus H.
Germination Do
Emergence Do
End of juvenile stage Grub of coleopteran pests
Floral initiation Caterpillar of Helicoverpa armigera Hubner
Flowering Caterpillar of Helicoverpa armigera Hubner
Start of grain filling Caterpillar of Helicoverpa armigera Hubner
End of grain filling Final stage of caterpillar of Helicoverpa
armigera Hubner, Aphis craccivora Koch
Maturity Final stage of caterpillar of Helicoverpa
armigera Hubner, Aphis craccivora Koch
Harvest ripe Aphis gossypi, Lipaphis erysimi,
Acridotheres tristis, Bubulcus ibis
Table 2: Cascade of pests of Chick pea during the period October
(2008) to April (2009)
Plate 2: Predators of pest complexes (1) Limnerium sp. (2) Coccinella
septempunctata (3) Lady bird beetle (4) Common myna (Acridotheres
tristis) (5) Large Cattle egret (Bubulcus ibis)
Coleopteran grubs were observed as major pests at the end of
juvenile stage of the plant. The floral initiation, flowering, start
of grain filling and end of grain filling periods were chiefly
destroyed by Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner).
The chick pea crop was attacked by the caterpillars of
Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner). These caterpillars are pod
borer,leaf and flower eater. They are the most effectively
damaging pest of this pulse crop (Plate 1).
However, Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner) is a serious pest of
Plate 1: Life cycle events of host and pests (1) Grub of coleopteran
pest of Cicer arietinum (2) Eggs and larva of H. armigera eating leaf
chlorophyll parts (3) Larvae eating whole leaf (4) Larvae eating shoot
and bud (5) Larvae eating flower (6) Larvae eating pod (7) Pupa and
adult of Helicoverpa armigera (8) Infestation of Aphis craccivora
Koch
131
more than 200 species of plants (Zalucki et al., 1994) including
economically important crops like cotton, tomato, sorghum,
ground nut, chick pea, pigeon pea, sunflower, maize etc. This
insect has wide geographical distribution occurring
throughout Africa, Central and South-east Asia, Southern
Europe, the Middle East, eastern and northern Australia, New
Zealand and many Pacific Islands (Fitt, 1989). High mobility,
fecundity and polyphagy are major factors contributing to the
serious pest status of H. armigera (Hubner) (Fitt, 1989). Reed
and Pawar (1982) estimated the annual economic loss due to
this pest as US $ 300 million for chick pea and pigeon pea in
India.
Flower buds of chick pea plants had significant effect on the
fecundity of gram pod borer fecundity. Larval food of flower
buds of chick pea was more suitable in promoting egg-
production in H. armigera as compared to leaves. Mullick
and Singh (2001) had observed that larval food of chick pea
leaves promoted higher egg-production in females as
compared to flower buds. Survival of larvae has also been
observed high on chick pea leaves (Singh and Mullick, 1997).
These positive factors in the flower buds and leaves of chick
pea ultimately promote population build up of H. armigera
by contributing higher egg-production in subsequent
generation.
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
Oct. 2008 Nov. Dec. Jan. 2009 Feb. Mar. Apr.
RAIN FALL m.m. RAIN FALL Rainy days
WIND VELOCITY Km./hr.
Figure 1: Showing the physical factors during the period October,
2008 to April, 2009. (b) The range of rainfall and wind velocity
during the period of study
Figure 1: Showing the physical factors during the period October,
2008 to April, 2009. (a)The range of maximum and minimum
temperature and humidity.
R. H. (%) 2:00pm
R. H. (%) 7:00pm
Temp ºC Min
200
Temp ºC Min
250
100
150
0
50
Oct., 08 Nov., 08 Dec., 08 Jan.,09 Feb., 09 Mar., 09 Apr., 09
At this stage of chick pea several species of aphids viz. Aphis
craccivora Koch, Aphis gossypii Glover and Lipaphis erysimi
Kaltenback were found infesting the plant most vigorously.
The high biomass and species concentration of prey at the
maturity and harvesting stage attracted the parasitoids and
predators (Plate 2). These aphids were considered as a
heterogenous species infesting various host plants at different
rates i.e. they showed host-plant specialization. However,
recent studies revealed that the evolution of any potential to
adapt to newer host plants might be quite large and it hold the
potential of becoming pest on an increasing number of crops
(Vanlerberghe-Masutti and Chavigny, 1998). The predator
Coccinella septempuntata Fabr. has been recorded as an
important biological control agent of the larval stage of
Helicoverpa armigera. Different morphs of several species of
aphids were also controlled by this predatory ladybird beetle.
From these observations concerning Coccinellid-aphid
interaction, it can be concluded that nutritional quality (in
terms of energy content) of A. gossypi, A. craccivora and
Lipaphis erysimi preyed by ladybird beetle which play a major
role in showing their predatory potential.
High species concentration of host-pest on chick pea at the
maturity and ripening stage attracted a large number of bird
predators of which Acridotheres tristis and Bubulcus ibis were
identified as major resident birds controlling this pest
population of chick pea in the region.
The incidence of pest complexes differs considerably in
respect of agro-climatic conditions. The heavy rainfall (1600.0
mm. annual rainfall) and flood in this region may be the
important physical factors (Fig. 1b) controlling the incidence
and infestation of pest population on this plant. Prabhakar
and Roy (2008) and Mandal et al., (2009) have recorded 8
major pests infesting Cajanus cajan and other pulse crops in
this region. The faunal make up of the pest diversity is under
the control of prevailing physico-chemical conditions. In the
region of north – eastern Bihar rainfall, humidity, flood and
polyculture are some of the factors controlling the pest species
in natural ecosystem.
REFERENCES
Fitt, G.P. 1989. The ecology of Heliothis species in relation to
agroecosystem. Annu. Rev. Ent. 34: 17-52.
Mandal, S. K., Parbhakar, A. K. and Roy, S. P. 2009. Insect pest
complexes on a pulse crop pigeon pea , Cajanus cajan Linn. of Indo-
Gangetic plain of Bhagalpur ( Bihar, India ). The Ecoscan. 3(1&2):
143-148.
Mullick, S. and Singh, A. K. 2001. Effect of Leguminous Host plants
on Fecundity and Longevity of Helicoverpa armigera (Hub.)
(Lepidoptera; Noctuidae). Entomon. 26(2): 113-120.
Pradhan, S. 1964. Assessment of losses caused by insect pests of crops
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SUCCESSION OF INSECT PESTS ON CHICK PEA
132
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S. K. MANDAL AND S. P. ROY
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