ICAR Network Project on Insect Biosystematics-Annual Report-2010
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Date
2010-12
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Department of Entomology, RCA, MPUAT, Udaipur
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Field surveys could be conducted in the state of Rajasthan (10 districts) alone covering and
area of 665 hectares. In all, 13 trips were made covering 42 villages. Insect collections were
taken from cropped areas (vegetables, cereals, pulses, oilseeds, fruits and fodder crops);
non‐cropped areas pasture lands. A total of 3,100 insects were collected of which 2,853
specimens were processed belonging to 11 orders, 72 families and 134 genera that
comprised Orthoptera (610); Coleoptera (1123); Hemiptera (449); Lepidoptera (556);
Hymenoptera (40); Diptera (15); Odonata (30); Neuroptera (06); Dictyoptera (15);
Dermaptera (05); and Isoptera (04). Light traps, net sweepings, pitfall traps and hand
collections were employed for the collections.
Identification was possible up to generic level for Orthoptera [under the families Acrididae
(35), Gryllidae (01) and Tetrigidae (01)] and for Coleoptera [under the family Chrysomelidae
– Sub‐family Alticinae (02)]. Morphological characterization with coloured pictures has been
completed for genera under the families Acrididae (03) and Alticinae (02).
Identification services were extended for grasshopper specimens from Shere Kashmir
University of Agriculture & Technology, Jammu; for acridids, carabid beetles and noctuidmoths from Agricultural Research Station, Mandore, Swami Keshawanand Rajasthan
Agricultural University; hemipteran specimens sent from Jaipur and Jodhpur centres of
Swami Keshawanand Rajasthan Agricultural University, Bikaner for identification help were
referred to Bangalore centre (Dr. C.A. Viraktamath) and the report sent with proper labels.
Help was extended to set up an insect museum at the Agricultural Research Station,
Durgapura, Jaipur, Swami Keshawanand Rajasthan Agricultural University, Bikaner.
Morphological characterization of families of Coleoptera of agricultural importance
prepared for use in undergraduate and postgraduate classes.
During the year 2010 the major outbreaks recorded were that of the blister beetle
(Mylabris sp.) infestation on kharif pulses, kharif grasshopper (Hieroglyphus nigrorepletus)
on maize in the Sub‐humid Southern Plains and Aravalli Hills (Udaipur, Rajsamand,
Bhilwara, Chittorgarh districts) and Humid Southern Plains of Rajasthan (Banswara); field
cricket during post‐monsoon season on early sown rabi crops in North Western Rajasthan
(Ajmer, Nasirabad and Jaipur districts); red hairy caterpillar and castor semi‐looper
infestation in Sirohi district of Rajasthan; aphid, tingid bug and coccid infestation in
medicinal and aromatic plants (Ajmer and Udaipur districts); leaf miner damage to castor(Sirohi and Jodhpur districts); the lymantrid, Euproctis lunata infestation in guava (Udaipur)
and Helicoverpa armigera outbreak in tank‐bed cultivated chickpea at Bhilwara.
Foraging behaviour of dominant coccinellids on aphids of cowpea and fenugreek studied.
Influence of enhanced biodiversity on natural enemy complex in greengram through
farmscaping emphasised.
Bio‐informatic tools were developed for insect pests of different crops (03) and some natural
enemies of pests (05). Inventories for major insect pests of important crops led to the
compilation of information on major insect pests and beneficial insects including 230 visuals
and 10 video clips (greengram weevil, blister beetle; dung beetle; hairy caterpillar).
Description
Project Annual Report
Keywords
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Citation
Swaminathan et al., 2010