IMPACT OF CONSERVATION AGRICULTURE PRACTICES ON THE ARTHROPOD POPULATION IN PIGEONPEA ECOSYSTEM
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Date
2015-06-30
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Abstract
Investigations to study the effect of conservation agriculture practices on the arthropod dynamics were carried out at Agriculture Research Station, Kalaburagi, during 2013-2015 with an objective to know the influence of conservation agriculture practices on pests, natural enemies besides to understand the impact of altered crop architecture on pests and natural enemies dynamics.
The incidence of Helicoverpa armigera, Maruca vitrata, Grapholita crictica, Melanagromyza obtusa and Clavigrella gibbosa was recorded at 90, 105, 120,135 and 150 DAS on pigeon pea during both the years in different conservation agricultural practices. The results revealed that raised bed with mulch was found to be the best with reduced incidence of pests and least pod damage with highest yield which was on par with zero till without mulch and zero till with mulch. Raised bed with mulch had the Shannon diversity index of 1.76 and Simpsons index of 0.04. Whereas, during 2014-15 it was 1.73 and 0.11 respectively compared to conventional practice which recorded lowest diversity indices (1.41 and 0.48) compared to other tillage practices.
The moth emergence from the cages placed after harvest in different tillage practice revealed that H. armigera and M. vitrata emerged from 10 to 60 days after harvest which was remarkably less in raised bed with mulch and highest was in conventional practice. Parasitisation due to tachnids in the raised bed with mulch gradually increased (3.26-4.78 %). Whereas, in the conventional practice it decreased gradually (0.90 -0.03 %). Among the different crop architecture studied, pigeonpea intercropped with setaria, maize, sorghum and sunflower were found to be effective in reducing the pod damage due of H. armigera, M. vitrata, G. crictica, M. obtusa and C. gibbosa and recorded highest yield. Further, these plots recorded higher population of natural enemies.
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