Diversity and abundance of spiders and their predatory potential against lepidopteran pests in maize crop (Zea mays)
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Date
2022
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Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana
Abstract
Present study was conducted with an objective to study on diversity and abundance of spiders and their predatory potential against lepidopteran pests in kharif and spring maize crop during 2021-22. About 31 different species of spiders belonged to order Araneae and seven different
families Tetragnathidae, Araneidae, Oxyopidae, Lycosidae, Salticidae, Pisauridae and Phylodromidae were recorded where Lycosidae (38.70%) showed the highest dominance. In kharif and spring maize crops the number of spider species recorded were 20 and 15, respectively. The dominant genus belonged to Pardosa with account of 10 species. Functional response of four dominant spider species (Lycosa pseudoannulata, Pardosa pseudoannulata, Pardosa amenata and Pardosa milvinia) was studied against major lepidopterans (Chilo partellus) and (Spodoptera frugiperda) which showed type II functional response where larval consumption increased with increased prey density, but after reaching to the upper asymptote it started decreasing. Interestingly, this predation was recorded against 2nd instars and 3rdinstar and adult lepidopterans except 4th and 5th larval instars due to their large size. Thus, present study suggests that spider fauna in maize crop fields should be protected by judicious use of insecticide applications so as to utilize their full potential in Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programme which can manage the most damaging stage (3rd instar) of major lepidopteran pests i.e., fall armyworm and maize stem borer, respectively.
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Noorani (2022). Diversity and abundance of spiders and their predatory potential against lepidopteran pests in maize crop (Zea mays) (Unpublished M.Sc. thesis). Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab, India.