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Preface
The term ‘Pest’ in English, derived from the Latin word ‘Pestis’ means ‘causing destruction’. As the name indicates, pests cause extensive damage to cultivated crops and other vegetations, besides destroying household articles and other possessions and attacking livestock and even humans. Some pests are responsible for causing or spreading a few serious diseases in man and livestock. Pests include insects and several other non-insects belonging to invertebrates and vertebrates. Pests are responsible for causing enormous economic losses. According to a survey conducted in India in 1976, it has been established that a total loss upto 18 per cent is caused as a result of pest attack every year. Of this about 33 percent loss is due to weeds, 26 percent due to diseases, 20 percent due to insect and non-insect pests, 6 per cent due to rats and 7 per cent in warehouses. The monetary loss had been estimated to exceed Rupees 5,000 crores at that time. Among the pests, insect pests are more destructive and are responsible for causing huge losses.
Insects constitute slightly over 50 per cent of all living organisms viz, other Arthropods, plants and animals put together. They are ubiquitous and are found in every place on this world where life can be sustained. There are about 1.0 million species of insects, of which comparatively a small percentage of about 1,000 species are pests in the true sense, while the others are wild and harmless. Many species are beneficial because of their role in our ecosystem. Some are a part of the food chains of wild creatures, while some others are either predators or parasites. A vast majority of insect pests are predominently polyphagous. Many of them feed on the foliage or other plant parts. Some of them bore into plant parts, such as stems, branches, roots, flowers, fruits or grains and feed on the inner contents. Some pierce the plant parts and suck and feed on the plant sap, while some others are vectors of virus and mycoplasma diseases. In nature there is hardly any plant species, which is free from attack by insect pests of one type or other. Even plants, which possess insecticidal properties, such as Azadirachta indica, Calotropis procera, Allium sativum etc. are also subjected to attack by some pests.
It is an established fact that insects came into this world more than 250 million years ago, while man came into existence only about 1.0 million years ago. Over the several million years, insects have survived because of their innate adaptations to live under any adverse environmental conditions. Actually it is man who has intruded into the domain of the insects. In order to meet his requirements of food, clothing and shelter man started cultivating crops and in doing so, the natural habitats of the insects were destroyed. The insects on the other hand have gradually changed their food habits and have started attacking the crops raised by man to meet their own requirements of food and shelter. Thus many insects have attained the status of crop pests leading to large scale destruction of crops. From the time man stepped in, a stifle has started between the insects and man and the struggle to gain supremacy has begun. Man considers insects as his enemies and to safeguard his interests tries to destroy them by various means. However, inspite of his vast potential, supremacy, intelligence and ingenuity, it has not been possible for man to eliminate these much inferior creatures completely and the struggle is going on as a never ending ordeal.
Unlike plant pathogenic microorganisms, such as fungi, bacteria, viruses, mycoplasma etc., which cannot be seen with naked eye, almost all the pests can be seen with naked eye or with the aid of a simple lens and the damages caused by them are also quite clearly visible and so appropriate control measures can be taken up at the proper time to control them. Knowledge about the nature of damage caused, life cycle and dispersal of pests goes a long way in adopting suitable control measures at the proper time. In this context this book, which has been compiled as per the syllabus of B.Sc.(Ag.) Degree course of the Agricultural Universities will be of great help and guidance to the students of Agriculture. It consists of three chapters. The first chapter deals with ‘Pests of field crops’. The second chapter deals with ‘Pests of horticultural crops’ and the third chapter deals with ‘Pests of household and livestock pests’. Detailed account of each of the major pests and possible measures to control them have been given. Besides the major pests, list of minor pests which may assume serious proportions when environmental conditions become favorable for them has also been furnished. The book, I hope will also be of immense help to the officials working in the Department of Agriculture, people interested in Scientific farming as well as the General Public.
Numerous illustrations have been given to amplify the nature of damage and the life cycle of the pests so that the reader can understand and follow the text easily.
In the recent past, there is a tendency to revert back to the old system of natural farming or organic farming so as to safeguard the quality of the soil and to protect the atmosphere from pollution, which is a welcome proposition. But we have upset the natural ecosystem to such an extent that it may not be possible to revert to the old system of organic farming in the near future by avoiding the use of pesticides and inorganic fertilizers altogether for crop production. However, it is necessary to take utmost care in the judicial use of such chemicals. Only when absolutely necessary pesticides should be used and when using such chemicals care should be taken to select appropriate chemicals. They should be used at the correct and recommended dosage, and at the proper time when the pests are in the most vulnerable stage to ensure maximum control of the pests.
In the compilation of this book, I have gathered informations from several books, journals and other media and I am very much indebted to the authors concerned. Ackowledgements are due to collegues who have supplied me with informations and also to friends and well wishers who have inspired, helped and encouraged me in my endeavor to complete the book. I wish to place on record my sincere thanks and appreciation to M/S. New India Publishing Agency, 101, Vikas Surya Plaza, Pitam Pura, New Delhi - 110 088 for the excellent manner in which the book has been brought out.
Preface
The term ‘Pest’ in English, derived from the Latin word ‘Pestis’ means ‘causing destruction’. As the name indicates, pests cause extensive damage to cultivated crops and other vegetations, besides destroying household articles and other possessions and attacking livestock and even humans. Some pests are responsible for causing or spreading a few serious diseases in man and livestock. Pests include insects and several other non-insects belonging to invertebrates and vertebrates. Pests are responsible for causing enormous economic losses. According to a survey conducted in India in 1976, it has been established that a total loss upto 18 per cent is caused as a result of pest attack every year. Of this about 33 percent loss is due to weeds, 26 percent due to diseases, 20 percent due to insect and non-insect pests, 6 per cent due to rats and 7 per cent in warehouses. The monetary loss had been estimated to exceed Rupees 5,000 crores at that time. Among the pests, insect pests are more destructive and are responsible for causing huge losses.
Insects constitute slightly over 50 per cent of all living organisms viz, other Arthropods, plants and animals put together. They are ubiquitous and are found in every place on this world where life can be sustained. There are about 1.0 million species of insects, of which comparatively a small percentage of about 1,000 species are pests in the true sense, while the others are wild and harmless. Many species are beneficial because of their role in our ecosystem. Some are a part of the food chains of wild creatures, while some others are either predators or parasites. A vast majority of insect pests are predominently polyphagous. Many of them feed on the foliage or other plant parts. Some of them bore into plant parts, such as stems, branches, roots, flowers, fruits or grains and feed on the inner contents. Some pierce the plant parts and suck and feed on the plant sap, while some others are vectors of virus and mycoplasma diseases. In nature there is hardly any plant species, which is free from attack by insect pests of one type or other. Even plants, which possess insecticidal properties, such as Azadirachta indica, Calotropis procera, Allium sativum etc. are also subjected to attack by some pests.
It is an established fact that insects came into this world more than 250 million years ago, while man came into existence only about 1.0 million years ago. Over the several million years, insects have survived because of their innate adaptations to live under any adverse environmental conditions. Actually it is man who has intruded into the domain of the insects. In order to meet his requirements of food, clothing and shelter man started cultivating crops and in doing so, the natural habitats of the insects were destroyed. The insects on the other hand have gradually changed their food habits and have started attacking the crops raised by man to meet their own requirements of food and shelter. Thus many insects have attained the status of crop pests leading to large scale destruction of crops. From the time man stepped in, a stifle has started between the insects and man and the struggle to gain supremacy has begun. Man considers insects as his enemies and to safeguard his interests tries to destroy them by various means. However, inspite of his vast potential, supremacy, intelligence and ingenuity, it has not been possible for man to eliminate these much inferior creatures completely and the struggle is going on as a never ending ordeal.
Unlike plant pathogenic microorganisms, such as fungi, bacteria, viruses, mycoplasma etc., which cannot be seen with naked eye, almost all the pests can be seen with naked eye or with the aid of a simple lens and the damages caused by them are also quite clearly visible and so appropriate control measures can be taken up at the proper time to control them. Knowledge about the nature of damage caused, life cycle and dispersal of pests goes a long way in adopting suitable control measures at the proper time. In this context this book, which has been compiled as per the syllabus of B.Sc.(Ag.) Degree course of the Agricultural Universities will be of great help and guidance to the students of Agriculture. It consists of three chapters. The first chapter deals with ‘Pests of field crops’. The second chapter deals with ‘Pests of horticultural crops’ and the third chapter deals with ‘Pests of household and livestock pests’. Detailed account of each of the major pests and possible measures to control them have been given. Besides the major pests, list of minor pests which may assume serious proportions when environmental conditions become favorable for them has also been furnished. The book, I hope will also be of immense help to the officials working in the Department of Agriculture, people interested in Scientific farming as well as the General Public.
Numerous illustrations have been given to amplify the nature of damage and the life cycle of the pests so that the reader can understand and follow the text easily.
In the recent past, there is a tendency to revert back to the old system of natural farming or organic farming so as to safeguard the quality of the soil and to protect the atmosphere from pollution, which is a welcome proposition. But we have upset the natural ecosystem to such an extent that it may not be possible to revert to the old system of organic farming in the near future by avoiding the use of pesticides and inorganic fertilizers altogether for crop production. However, it is necessary to take utmost care in the judicial use of such chemicals. Only when absolutely necessary pesticides should be used and when using such chemicals care should be taken to select appropriate chemicals. They should be used at the correct and recommended dosage, and at the proper time when the pests are in the most vulnerable stage to ensure maximum control of the pests.
In the compilation of this book, I have gathered informations from several books, journals and other media and I am very much indebted to the authors concerned. Ackowledgements are due to collegues who have supplied me with informations and also to friends and well wishers who have inspired, helped and encouraged me in my endeavor to complete the book. I wish to place on record my sincere thanks and appreciation to M/S. New India Publishing Agency, 101, Vikas Surya Plaza, Pitam Pura, New Delhi - 110 088 for the excellent manner in which the book has been brought out.