S. K. MANDAL.pmd

4 (1) : 129-132, 2010 N 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) Save Nature to Survive

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S. K. MANDAL AND S. P. ROY* University Department of Zoology T. M. Bhagalpur University, Bhagalpur - 812 007 E-mail: [email protected] ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION Cicer arietinum (Linn.) commonly called chick pea is an important pulse crop of the Indo-Gangetic basin and Tal area, a highly productive region of the Indian sub-continent, are attacked and infested by an array of insect pests causing injuries to their seedling stage, vegetative stage, flowering stage, pod formation stage, pod filling stage, pod maturity stage of this leguminous plant. Cicer arietinum Linn. is a dominant pulse crop exploited recklessly ranging from vegetables to varieties of food by the people. Pests are dynamic in nature and succession of pests occur with the nature of the agro-ecosystem and reports are available on the succession of the insect pests of chick pea from the different parts of the country (Singh and Singh, 1978; Shekhar et al., 1991; Subharani and Singh, 2004).Considerable study has been done on the pests attacking and infesting chick pea in different regions 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 on the succession of insect pests on chick pea in relation to climatic factors except the work of Prabhakar and Roy (2008) and Mandal et al., (2009). Therefore, it is desirable 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 incidence of 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 5 randomly selected and pre-determined plants per plot in case of pests such as larvae, weevils, aphids, bugs and predators (coccinellid, spiders, ants and birds) (Pradhan, 1964). The aphid population was recorded randomly from three flowers in each plot. The pods from pre-determined and randomly selected plants (5 per plot) at harvest were opened to count pod borers (larval population). The physical factors of were obtained from meteorological observatory, Sabour Agriculture College, Sabour, Bhagalpur (Rajendra Agriculture University). The minimum 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 129

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.

KEY WORDS Succession Pests Chick pea Phenology

Received : Revised : Accepted :

26.10.2009 16.12.2009 21.01.2010

*Corresponding author

S. K. MANDAL AND S. P. ROY

Table 1: Monthly weather conditions of the region Month TempºC Rain fall R.H.(%) Max Min m.m. Rainy 7 AM 2 PM days Oct. 2008 Nov. Dec. Jan. 2009 Feb. Mar. Apr.

31.8 27.9 23.2 21.9 24.8 30.6 35.0

21.5 14.1 12.7 9.9 9.2 12.8 19.4

29.4 0.0 0.0 2.7 5.4 0.0 2.8

3 0 0 1 1 0 2

93 91 98 99 95 94 73

65 51 70 64 49 31 36

Table 2: Cascade of pests of Chick pea during the period October (2008) to April (2009)

Wind velocity Km./hr. 2.4 1.6 2.2 3.2 4.7 5.3 8.6

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.

Plant stages

Succession of pests

Sowing Germination Emergence End of juvenile stage Floral initiation Flowering Start of grain filling End of grain filling

Odontotermes obesus H. Do Do Grub of coleopteran pests Caterpillar of Helicoverpa armigera Hubner Caterpillar of Helicoverpa armigera Hubner Caterpillar of Helicoverpa armigera Hubner Final stage of caterpillar of Helicoverpa armigera Hubner, Aphis craccivora Koch Final stage of caterpillar of Helicoverpa armigera Hubner, Aphis craccivora Koch Aphis gossypi, Lipaphis erysimi, Acridotheres tristis, Bubulcus ibis

Maturity Harvest ripe

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

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). 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

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 130

SUCCESSION OF INSECT PESTS ON CHICK PEA

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R. H. (%) 2:00pm

Temp ºC Min

R. H. (%) 7:00pm

Temp ºC Min

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

200

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50

0 Oct., 08

Nov., 08

Dec., 08

Jan.,09

Feb., 09

Mar., 09

(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.

Apr., 09

Figure 1: Showing the physical factors during the period October, 2008 to April, 2009. (a)The range of maximum and minimum temperature and humidity.

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.

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.

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 eggproduction 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.

RAIN FALL m.m.

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 IndoGangetic plain of Bhagalpur ( Bihar, India ). The Ecoscan. 3(1&2): 143-148.

RAIN FALL Rainy days

WIND VELOCITY Km./hr.

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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.

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Pradhan, S. 1964. Assessment of losses caused by insect pests of crops and estimation of insect population. In Entomology in India (Ed.), N. C. Pant, Silver Jubilee number of Indian J. Ent., pp. 17-58.

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Prabhakar, A. K. and Roy, S. P. 2008. Enumeration of insect pest complexes of Vegetable crops of North-East Bihar (India). The Bioscan. 3(4): 455-458.

5 0 Oct. 2008

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Reed, W. and Pawar, C. S. 1982. Heliothis; A global problem, In: Proceeding of International Workshop on Heliothis Management.; International Crop Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics: Andhra Pradesh, India, 9-14.

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

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Reddy, C. N., Singh, Y. and Singh, V. S. 1998. Pest complex and their succession on pigeon pea variety P-33. Indian J. Ent. 60(4): 334-338.

Singh, A. K. and Mullick, S. 1997. Effect of leguminous plants on the growth and development of gram pod borer, Helicoverpa armigera. Indian J. Ent. 59(2): 209-214.

Shekhar, J. C., Singh, K. M., Singh, R. N. and Singh, Y. 1991. Succession of insect pests on pigeon pea Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp. cultivated at different maturity. Indian J. Ent. 53(2): 316-319.

Vanlerberghe - Masutti, F. and Chavigny, O. 1998. Host based genetic differentiation in the aphid species Aphis grossypii Glover, evidence from RAPD fingerprints. Molecular Biology. 7: 905-914.

Subharani, S. and Singh, T. K. 2004. Insect pest complex of pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan) in agro-ecosystem of Manipur. Indian J. Entom. 66(3): 222-224.

Zalucki, M. P., Munay, D. A. H., Gregg, P. C., Fitt, G. P., Twine, P. H. and Jones, C. 1994. Ecology of Helicoverpa armigera (Hub.) and Helicoverpa punctigera in the inland of Australia, larval sampling and host plant relationships during winter and spring. Aust. J. Zool. 42: 329-346.

Srivastava, B. K. 1964. Pests of pulse crops. In Entomology in India (ed.) N.C. Pant Silver Jubilee number of Indian J. Ent., pp. 83-91. Singh, R. N. and Singh, K. M. 1978. Succession of insect pests in early

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