MANAGEMENT OF CUTWORMS Agrotis spp. IN MAIZE.
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Date
2019-07
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CSKHPKV, Palampur
Abstract
The present investigation entitled “Management of cutworms Agrotis spp. in maize” was
undertaken during Kharif 2018 at Hill Agricultural Research and Extension Centre (HAREC),
Bajaura. Light traps were installed at two locations viz. Jhiri and Bajaura to find out the peak
emergence period of the cutworms and it was concluded from the results that the peak
emergence period of cutworms was from 2nd week of May to 3rd week of May at both the
locations. The cutworm larvae were collected from nine localities of Kullu and Mandi
districts from the maize crop during the month of May and June for identification of species
and the results revealed the occurrence of two species of cutworm in the valley i.e. A. ipsilon
and A. segetum, the former being dominant with 83.53 and 75.00 per cent of the total larval
population in Kullu and Mandi districts, respectively. Maize growing areas of Mandi and
Kullu district were surveyed to study the incidence of cutworms and the results revealed that
the average cutworm incidence varied from 14.00 to 28.33 per cent in Mandi district and
10.00 to 22.33 per cent in Kullu district with the variation in the larval population of 0.67 to
2.67/ m2 in Mandi and 0.33 to 2.33/ m2 in Kullu district. The effect of sowing date and seed
rate on the extent of damage by cutworms in maize was also studied and it was observed that
higher attack of cutworms resulted in higher seed mortality (16.67%) when the crop was sown
on 15th of May followed by 11.95 per cent in the crop sown on 30th of May followed by 7.96
per cent in the crop sown on 15th of June. The average grain yield from the crops sown on 15th
of May was 43.15 q/ha, lower than the crops sown later, being maximum (57.39 q/ha) from
the crop sown on 15th of June. It was also concluded that in lower Kullu valley areas sowing
should be delayed till the first fortnight of June and in case it has to be done in the last week
of May or first week of June, higher seed rate of 25 kg/ha should be used to compensate the
damage caused by cutworms. Different insecticides and biopesticides were also evaluated
against the cutworms and it was concluded that the treatment consisting of seed treatment
with imidacloprid (6 ml/kg) followed by surface application of chlorpyriphos (2.0 ml/l) was
the most effective treatment resulting in zero seedling mortality and thus recording 100 per
cent reduction in the cutworm population.
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