Integrated Pest Management

Defoliators

Gram Pod Borer (Helicoverpa armigera)

Identification & Monitoring

• The adult measures about 30-36 mm in its wing expanse and 14 to 18 mm in its body length. The forewings are marked with greyish wavy lines and black spots of varying size on upper side and a black kidney shaped mark and a round spot on the upper side. The hind wings are whitish and lighter in colour.
• Eggs are yellowish, shiny and laid singly on all parts of plant.
• Full grown larva is 40 mm long and hairy and varied in color.
• Use pheromone traps for monitoring.
• Visual observations at weekly intervals at all stages.
• Setting of light traps (1 light trap/5 acre) to know the range of pest incidence

Damage

• It is the most dangerous pest of gram.
• The young larvae feed on the chlorophyll of young leaves and skeletinize it.
• High population of larvae tend to defoliate the whole plant.
• During the podding stage the larvae bore inside the pod by making hole and then feed on the developing grain.

Cultural Control

• Deep summer ploughing in 2-3 years to eliminate quiescent pupa.
• Late sowing should be avoided.
• Inter cropping with linseed or wheat 2:1.
• Avoid closer plant spacing.
• Use varieties like JG-315, JG-74, PDG 84-10(Raj), CCV 7 (South zone), H 208, 35 Avorodhi
• Irrigated crop is comparatively more infested.
• Recommended doses of fertilizers should be applied.
• Sow trap crops like marigold at 50 plants/acre along with cotton.
•  Inter crops like, Green gram, Black gram, Groundnut, Soybean.

Mechanical Control

• Install pheromone traps at a distance of 50 m @ 5 traps/ha for each insect pest.
• Install Bird perches @ 50/ha.
• Clip terminal shoots on 100 days of crop growth.
• Setting of light traps (1 light trap/5 acre) to kill moth population

Biological Control

• Control is achieved by releasing of  Trichogramma chlionis at weekly intervals @1.5 lakh/ha/ week for four times.
• Conserve green lacewing, predatory stink bugs, spider, ants
• Application of NPV 250 LE /ha with teepol 0.1% and Jaggery 0.5% @1kg /ha thrice at 10-15 days interval on observing the eggs or first instars larvae.
• Release Campoletis chloridae (parasite) from November to March to attack early instars of Helicoverpa.
• Neem seed extract 5% with 1% soap solution is found effective.
• Release Trichogramma parasites @ (20,000/acre), Bacillus thuringenisis (soil bacteria), NPV (virus)
• Release Beauveria bassiana (fungi), Nomuraea rileyi (fungi)
• NPV is more effective in cloudy weather.

Chemical Control

• Apply chemical insecticides only if the insect population crosses theeconomic threshold level (ETL)
• Take control measures when population exceeds ETL.
• Spray insecticides like endosulfan 35 EC @ 1000 ml/ha.
  OR
• Spray insecticides like deltamethrin 2.8 EC @ 750 ml/ha.
  OR
• Quinalphos 25 EC @ 1000 ml/ha.
  OR
• In case of severe infestation.
  Spray insecticides like polytrin C 44 EC @ 1000 ml/ha.
  OR
• Profenophos 50 EC @ 1500 ml/ha.
  OR
• Spark 36 EC at the rate of 1000 ml/ha.
  OR
• Chlorpyriphos 20 EC (200 ml) + acephate 100 ml/ha

Semilooper (Autographa nigrisigna)

Identification & Monitoring

• Only occasional pest in chickpea.
• Moths have typically patterned forewings.
• Eggs are laid in clumps of 40 eggs or more on the leaflets.
• The larva 25 mm long are green semiloopers.
• Pupation occurs in the soil.
• A single generation lasts about 4 weeks.

Damage

• The newly hatched larvae scratch chlorophyll from the leaves, the plant becomes whitish and skeletonized.
• The larvae feed on leaf buds, flowers, tender pods and developing seeds.
• When pods are attacked, much of the pod wall is eaten and the damage is ragged and irregular. This is in contrast with the neat, and round hole, characteristic of pod borer damage.

Cultural Control

• Management is similar to pod borer as these two species tend to occur in mixed populations.

Chemical Control

• Use endosulfan (4% dust) and phoslaone (4% dust) @25 kg/ha.

Gram cutworm (Agrotis ipsilon)

Identification & Monitoring

• The adult moth are brownish with numerous wavy lines and spots, measuring 3 to 5 cm across wings.
• Eggs are laid on earth clods, chickpea stem bases and on both sides of leaves.
• The young larva is dark brown with red head.
• Pupation takes place in earthen cocoon.
• The buried stem or branches is almost the sure index of the place where the caterpillar is hiding.

Damage

• The caterpillar hide during the day and come out in the evening for damage. They remain the soil at a depth of 2-4 inches.
• The caterpillars cut the tender plants at the base, and branches or stems of growing plants.
• The caterpillars drag the cut parts into soil for feeding.

Cultural Control

• Deep summer ploughing.
• Use well decomposed organic manure.
• Adapt crop rotation.
• Early sowing in the last week of October.
• Intercropping with wheat or Linseed or Mustard reduces infestation.
• In the early stages pick the insects and destroy.
• Do not grow Tomato or Lady finger in near by field.
• Grow Marigold on bunds.

Mechanical Control

• The adult insects can be controlled by light traps.

Biological Control

• Conserve Braconids, Microgaster sp., bracon kitcheneri, fileanta ruficanda (parasitods) and broscus punctatus, liogryllus bimaculatus (predators).

Chemical Control

• Apply chemical insecticides only if the insect population crosses the economic threshold.
• Spray insecticides like endosulfan 35 EC @ 1000 ml/ha.
  OR
• Deltamethrin 2.8 EC @ 750 ml/ha.
  OR
• Quinalphos 25 EC @ 1000 ml/ha.
  OR
  In case of severe infestation
• Spray insecticides like polytrin C-44 EC @ 1000 ml/ha.
  OR
• Profenophos 50 EC @ 1500 ml/ha.
  OR
• Spray insecticides like spark 36 EC at the rate of 1000 ml/ha.
• Dilute the above in 500 - 600 liters water and spray.

Termites (Odontotermes obesus)

Identification & Monitoring

• These are social insects, live in ermitaria, in distinct castes, workers, kings and queen.
• Eggs are laid on plants and in the soil.
• 'Workers' are small (4 mm) and have a soft, white body and a brown head.

Damage

• The termite bores into the roots and stem. Due to the bore the plants soon dries.
• The attack may continue to the standing crop also especially during the period of drought.

Cultural Control

• Frequent intercultural operations and irrigation before sowing.
• Field sanitation, timely disposal of crop stables and undecomposed plant parts.
• Undecomposed FYM or composed should not be used
• Two-three deep ploughing could also help control this pest.

Mechanical Control

• Destroy the termite bunds in and around the field and kill the queen and complimentary form.

Chemical Control

• Apply chemical insecticides only if the insect population crosses the economic threshold level (ETL).
• Application of Chlorpyriphos or Carbofuran granules into the soil before sowing. Or
• Seed treatment with chlorpyriphos @ 4ml/kg of seed or Endosulfan @ 7ml/kg of seed.
• Spray insecticides like polytrin C44EC at the rate of 1000 ml/ha.

Bruchids (Callosobruchus chinensis)

Identification & Monitoring

• Adult beetle is 3 - 4 mm long, oval shaped chockalate coloured, body is pointed towards front.
• The adult emerges out of the pupa.
• The size of the adult beetle depends upon the size of the infested portion of the pulse.
• The attack is during July-August in the stores.

Damage

• The adult and grub feed on the grain by making a small hole.
• Infested stored seed can be recognized by the white eggs on the seed surface and the round exit holes with the 'flap' of seed coat.
• Kabuli types are particularly susceptible.

Cultural Control

• Periodical exposure of the grain to sun helps to check infestations.
• Dry the pods to optimum kernel moisture level of about 7 %.
• Store the pods in polythene-lined gunny bags and fill the top surface of the bag with a layer of 3 cm ht. sand.
• Mouth of bags should not be stitched or closed to avoid germination loss.
• Care should be taken to avoid breakage
• Broken seeds should not be stored for long periods.
• Dust an inert substance such as ABCD (attapulgite-based clay dust)

Mechanical Control

• Dip the old gunny bags in boiled water for 15 minutes.

Biological Control

• Coat the seed with small quantities of vegetable oil or mix neem leaves in the stored grain.

Chemical Control

• Dip the gunny bags in 10% malathion solution.
• Apply E.D.B. ampulses @ 3 ml/q of seed in air tight storage structure.
• Fumigation with aluminum phosphide protects the seed without affecting the viability.