Fall Armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda)

The fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), originated from America but is reported recently from Africa and the Asia-Pacific. FAW has caused huge international concern since its outbreak in Africa since 2016 and in Asia since mid-2018. The chapter mainly reviews its global distribution, life cycle, identification characters, strains, host plants, nature of damage, economic damage, and integrated pest management strategies available. The pest completes its life cycle on maize in 30 days (in warm summer months); in cooler temperatures, it may extend up to 60–90 days. For effective management of fall armyworm, different tools, viz., cultural control, agronomic management, breeding for resistance, natural enemies, and eco-friendly insecticides, should be used in an integrated approach. As the insect is recently introduced to Africa and the Asia-Pacific, possible management strategies and future cases of action are discussed

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Not AvailableMelon fly,Zeugodacuscucurbitae (Diptera: Tephritidae) (Coquillett) is the major pest of cucumber, Cucumissativus. We investigated the attractiveness of roosting plants with food bait spray to manage melon fly in cucumber under open field conditions. Cucumber was planted over two successive Kharif seasons together with maize (Zea mays), castor bean (Ricinus communis), sorghum (Sorghum bicolor), and Napier grass (Hybrid Co-3) as border plants. Border plants were sprayed weekly with an azadirachtin based food bait. The study revealed that castor bean was the most attractive roosting plant to melon fly followed by maize, sorghum and Napier grass. The adult melon flies preferred to roost on the lower sides of the maize, sorghum and Napier grass leaves and on the stems of castor bean. There were significant differences in the per cent fruit infestation of cucumber in all roosting host treatments except Napier grass compared to the control, with the lowest fruit infestation of 11.75 per cent recorded in castor bean treatment. The highest cucumber yield 17.90 t/ha and the highest number of cucumber harvests 13.75 per season were observed in the castor bean treatment.Establishment of preferred roosting hosts as crop borders may help to improve the efficiency of bait application thereby suppressing the melon fly population.Not Availabl

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Not AvailableField experiments were conducted to assess the diversity, abundance and role of aphidophagous predators in cashew during 2015 and 2016 at Goa. The aphid Aphis odinae (=Toxoptera odinae) (Van der Goot) is an occasional sporadic insect pest of cashew. The aphid was preyed upon by six species of predators, including three species of coccinellids, viz., Scymnus castaneus Sicard, Cheilomenes sexmaculata (F.) and Pseudaspidimerus flaviceps (Walker) and three species of syrphids, viz., Paragus serratus (F.), Dideopsis aegrota (F.) and Ischidon scutellaris (F.). Among these, S. castaneus (11.05 grubs/nut/leaf) was the most abundant followed by P. serratus (5.02 larvae/nut). Their populations followed an almost similar trend with that of the prey aphid with maximum populations being observed during 6th standard meteorological week. Significant positive correlation was observed between the aphid and the predators except for I. scutellaris. These predators were effective in managing the aphid.ICAR-CCARI Institute projec

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Not AvailableThe occurrence of Jewel beetle Belionota prasina (Thunberg, 1789) (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) infestation on cashew from Goa, India was reported in this communication. Most of the infested trees were previously attacked by stem borers. Semi-circular D-shaped exit bore holes measuring 7–10 mm in length and 4–7 mm in width were found along the main trunk and branches. Adult beetles were dark greenish blue in colour and measured about 21–28 mm in length. Grubs were fleshy, whitish yellow in colour and measured 9–50 mm in length. Various stages of grub were observed on the infested trees. Prepupa and pupa were yellowish white in colour and measures 26–32 mm and 20–23 mm in length, respectively. Maximum of 132 grubs, 8 pre-pupae, 22 pupae and 61 adults were collected from a single affected tree. An average of 55.8 grubs were found to be feeding on a single tree and could successfully complete the life cycle on a fresh cashew log. Thus, cashew could be a new host plant for grubs of this buprestid, Belionota prasina.Not Availabl

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Not AvailableField studies and front line demonstrations were conducted during 2017-2019 to popularise the pheromone technology forwide area management of red palm weevil Rhynchophorus ferrugineus and rhinoceros beetle Oryctes rhinoceros in coconut plantations at Goa.Red palm weevil activity was observed throughout the experimental period, with maximum being during post monsoon period between October and November. Its least activity was during pre and monsoon period during April to June. The maximum attraction of O. rhinocerosduring July and September. Captures in the pheromone traps were female dominated with overall sex ratio (male: female) of red palm weevil and rhinoceros beetle being 1:2.97 and1:1.56 respectively. An average of 64 and 50 % reduction of damage symptoms of red palm weevil and rhinoceros beetle was observed in pheromone implemented plantations. Thus continuous mass trapping of red palm weevil and rhinoceros beetle through pheromone technology significantly reduces the infestations in coconut plantations.Not Availabl

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Not AvailableThe fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is an economically important polyphagous pest native to the Americas. The pest has recently introduced to India and causing severe damage to maize and other crops. The occurrence of fall armyworm on fodder maize (Zea mays L), Guinea grass (Megathyrsus maximus) (Jacq.), para grass (Brachiaria mutica) (Forssk.) and green amaranth (Amaranthus viridis L) is reported first time from Goa, India. The damage incidence of 16 to 52% was recorded on fodder maize. The other host plants viz., Guinea grass, para grass and green amaranth recorded damage incidences of 9.0, 4.0 and 13.0%, respectively. The pest was identified based on morphological characters and molecular techniques. Phylogenetic analysis of COI gene sequence revealed that fall armyworm on fodder maize from Goa is clustering with the fall armyworm isolates from India, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Canada and Brazil. Goa isolate is aligning with the “Rice” strain of fall armyworm and not with “Corn” strain. Studies on the biology of fall armyworm indicated that longer larval and pupal developmental period (18.6 and 10.7 days) was recorded on Guinea grass and green amaranth, respectively. The highest number of eggs was recorded from fall armyworm population reared on fodder maize as compared to those reared on other host plants. Longer life cycle was recorded on Guinea grass and green amaranth. Shortest larval and pupal period and faster life cycle of fall armyworm was recorded on fodder maize compared to other host plants indicating that fodder maize was the most preferred host for S. frugiperda in India.ICAR-CCARI Institute projec

खूब पावस पडपी दर्यादेग वाठारां खातीर सुदारीत पुसा बिन

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Not AvailableHexane extracts of whole body wash of male and female moths of Earias vittella and Spodoptera litura were analysed separately by gas chromatography for determining their hydrocarbon profile, which showed the presence of straight chain saturated hydrocarbons ranging from C8 to C35. (0.02 µg/g to 2579 µg/g). The GC studies of male E. vittella revealed the presence of 6 hydrocarbons ranging from C12 to C29. Dodecane (C12) was present in highest concentration 72.02 µg/g followed by tridecane (C13) and nonadecane (C19) whereas in female whole body wash recorded a total of 9 hydrocarbons ranging from C9 to C31. Concentration of dodecane (C12) was the highest 76.80 µg/g followed by nonadecane (C19). Whole body wash of male S. litura revealed the presence of 17 hydrocarbons ranging from C8 to C35. Highest concentration of pentadecane (C15) 2579.87 µg/g followed by octane (C8) 1000.22 µg/g was recorded whereas in female S. Litura, six saturated hydrocarbons ranging from C9 to C25 were detected. Concentration of dodecane (C12) was the highest 100.67 µg/g, followed by tridecane (C13) 52.07 µg/g. Generally, the concentrations of hydrocarbons and numbers were quite high in male S. litura whole body wash. From the study, it is inferred that qualitative and quantitative differences in the hydrocarbons of the host or prey insects may be responsible for their preference or non-preference by their natural enemiesNot Availabl

Technical Bulletin No. 38

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