eChapters

Introduction

India is a vast country with varied agro-climatic condition favor the growth of wild variety of natural and cultivated flora. The extensive area of forest and millions of acres of cultivated land sustains a large proportion of insects and honey bees (Thakar 1976). The honey bees are social creatures and taught us how we should live and cooperate with each other in the society. People have a high regard for honeybees for their carefulness, unity, sacrifice, tolerance, cooperation, coordination, division of labour, social service and usefulness. They live in large colonies, each consisting of a queen (mother of the colony), a few hundred of drones (males) and several thousand sterile female workers.  Workers, as their name implies, do most of the work ‘work’ around the hive. India has been known as ‘land of honey’. Since centuries, honey is used to tree a diversity of illness through a wide range of applications. Honey has a long history of human consumption, and most commonly consumed in its unprocessed state (i.e. liquid, crystallized or in the comb) in our country. It is taken as medicine, eaten as food, or incorporated as an additive in a variety of food and beverages.

4.1    Essential Plant Nutrients
    Macronutrients
    1. Nitrogen
    2. Phosphorus
    3. Potassium
    4. Calcium
    5. Magnesium
    6. Sulphur
    
Micronutrients
    
    1. Iron
    2. Zinc
    3. Boron
    4. Manganese
    5. Molybdenum
    6. Chlorine
    7. Nickel
    8. Sodium
    9. Cobalt
    10. Silicon

3.1 Cereals

1.    List of weeds in kharif season crops
    
2.    Weed management techniques in cereals
    
    Maize
    Pearl millet / Sorghum
    Ragi
    
3.    Weed management techniques in Pulses
        
    Greengram / Blackgram
    Pigeonpea
    Cowpea
    Cluster bean
    Rajmash
    
4.    Weed management techniques in Oilseeds
        
    Sesame Til
    Major weeds of kharif season crops
    
5.    Non-crop lands weeds and their management
    
    1. Parthenium hysterophorus
    2. Saccharum spontaneum
    3. Lantana camara

2.1    Cereals
           Maize
    1. Turcicum leaf spot                
    2. Common rust
    3. Leaf spot or Leaf blight
    4. Head smut
    5. Common smut or Maize smut    
    6. Bacterial stalk rot
    7. Banded leaf and sheath blight
    8. Fusarium stalk rot of maize
    9. Downy mildew
      
    Bajra
    
    1. Green ear or downy mildew
    2. Ergot
    3. Smut
          
    Sorghum
    
    1. Anthracnose (foliar, head, root and stalk rot)
    2. Charcoal rot
          
    Pulses
           Moong/Mash
    
    1. Cercospora leaf spot
    2. Bean blight
    3. Anthracnose
    4. Web blight
    5. Powdery mildew
    6. Yellow mosaic disease
    7. Root rot
        
    Rajmash and Cluster beans
    
    1. Bean rust
    2. Bacterial wilt
    3. Common blight
    4. Halo blight
    5. Alternaria leaf spot
    6. Angular leaf spot
    7. Anthracnose
    8. Powdery mildew
    9. Rust
    10. Fusarium root rot
    11. Pythium root rot
    
    Cowpea
    
    1. Leaf spot
    2. Root rot
    3. Ascochyta blight
    4. Bacterial blight
    5. Brown rust
    6. Cercospora leaf spot
    7. Fusarium wilt
    8. Yellow mosaic virus
    
    Oilseeds
    Sesame or Til
    
    1. Phytophthora blight or stem blight
    2. Alternaria leaf spot
    3. Bacterial blight and bacterial leaf spot
    4. Phyllody
    
    Groundnut
    
    1. Collar rot
    2. Botrytis blight
    3. Charcoal rot
    4. Cylindrocladium black rot
    5. Circular leaf spot

1.1    Cereals
    Maize
    
    1. Maize stem borer, Chilo partellus (Swinhoe) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)
    2. Asian maize borer, Ostrinia furnacalis (Guenee) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)
    3. Blister beetle, Mylabris pustulata Thunberg (Coleoptera: Meloidae)
         
    Sorghum
        
    1. Sorghum midge, Contarinia sorghicola (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae)
    2. Sorghum ear head bug, Calocoris angustatus (Hemiptera: Miridae)
    3. Sorghum shoot bug, Peregrinus maidis (Hemiptera: Delphacidae)
    4. Sorghum shoot fly / stem fly, Atherigona soccata (Diptera: Anthomyiidae)
    5. Maize Stem borer, Chilo partellus (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)
    6. Other minor pests
    
    Ragi
    
    1. Pink borer, Sesamia inferens (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)
    2. Aphids: Schizaphis graminum, Hysteroneura setariae, Rhopalosiphum maidis (Hemiptera: Aphididae)
    3. Root aphid, Tetraneura nigriabdominalis (Hemiptera: Aphididae)
    4. Other minor pests
    
    Pulses
    Black gram / green gram
    
    1.  Pod borer, Maruca testulalis (Lepidoptera: Crombidae)
    2. Hairy caterpillar, Amsacta moorei (Butler): (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae)
    3. Stem fly Ophiomyia phaseoli (Tryon) (Diptera: Agromyzidae)
    4. Whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Genn.) (Diptera: Aleyrodidae)
    5. Thrips, Caliothrips indicus (Bagn.) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae)
    6. Green Jassid, Empoasca kerri (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae)
    7. Bean bugs, Clavigralla gibbosa Spinola (Hemiptera: Coreidae), Dusky cotton bug, Oxycarenus laetus Kirby (Hemiptera: lygaeidae)
    8. Bean mite, Polyphagotarsonemus latus (Banks) (Acarina: Tarsonemidae)
    9. Cut worm, Agrotis ipsilon (Hufnagel), Agrotis flammatra Schiff.(Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)
    
    French bean (Rajmash)
    
    1. Hairy caterpillar, Amsacta moorei (Butler) (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae)
    2. Blister beetle, Mylabris pustulata (Thunberg) (Coleoptera: Meloidae)
    3. Bean fly Ophiomyia phaseoli (Tryon) (Diptera: Agromyzidae)
    4. Bean thrips, Megalurothrips distalis (Karny) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae)
    5. Cut worm, Agrotis ipsilon (Hufnagel), Agrotis flammatra Schiff.(Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)
    6. Bean mite, Polyphagotarsonemus latus (Banks) (Acarina: Tarsonemidae)
    
    Oilseeds
    Til (Sesame)
    
    1. Hairy Caterpillar, Amsacta moorei (Butler) (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae)
    2. Leaf hopper: Orosius albicinctus Distant (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae)
    3. Aphids
    4. White flies, Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae)
    5. Leaf webber or roller and capsule borer, Antigastra catalaunalis Duponchel (Lepidoptera: Crambidae)
    6. Gall fly: Asphondylia sesame Felt (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae)
    7. Sphinx moth or Dead head moth: Acherontia styx (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae)
    
    Polyphagous Pests
    
    1. White grub Holotrichia consanguinea Blanchard (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae)
    2. Rodents

3.1    Cereals
    List of weeds in Rabi season crops
    Management of weeds in Cereals
    
    Wheat
    
    Management of weeds in Pulses
    
    Chickpea
    Fieldpea
    Lentil
    
    Management of weeds in Oilseeds
    
    1. Rapeseed / Mustard / Toria
    2. Pictures of major weeds of Rabi season crops
    
    Non-crop lands weeds and their management
    
    1. Parthenium hysterophorus
    2. Saccharum spontaneum
    3. Lantana camara

4.1    Functions of Plant Nutrient and Deficiency Symptoms Function of Plant Nutrient
    
    1. Nitrogen
    2. Phosphorus
    3. Potassium
    4. Calcium
    5. Magnesium
    6. Sulphur
    7. Manganese
    8. Molybdenum
    9. Copper
    10. Boron
    11. Zinc
    12. Iron
    13. Chlorine
    14. Nickel
    15. Sodium
    16. Cobalt
    17. Silicon

1.1    Cereals
    Wheat/Barley
    
    1. Wheat aphid, Macrosiphum miscanthi (Hemiptera; Aphididae)
    2. Armyworm, Mythimna separata (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)
    3. Ghujhia weevil, Tanymecus indicus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)
    4. Termites, Odontotermes obesus Ramb. (Isoptera: Termitidae)
    5. Shoot fly, Mayetiola destructor (Say) (Diptera: Cecidomyidae)
    6. Wheat Gall nematode, Anguina tritici (Tylenchida: Tylenchidae)
    7. Molya nematode, Heterodera avenae (Tylenchida: Heteroderidae)
        
    Pulses
    Chickpea
    
    1. Pod borer, Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)
    2. Semilooper, Autographa nigrisigna Walker (Lepidoptera; Noctuidae)
    3. Aphids, Aphis craccivora Koch (Homoptera: Aphididae)
    4. Hairy caterpillar, Amsacta moorei (Butler) (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae)
    5. Cut worm, Agrotis ipsilon (Hufnagel) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)
    
    Fieldpea
    
    1. Pea leaf miner, Chromatomyia horticola (Goureau) (Diptera: Agromyzidae)
    2. Pea pod borer, Etiella zinckenella Treitschke (Lepidoptera: Phycitidae)
    3. Gram pod borer, Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)
    4. Pea stem fly, Melanogromyza phaseoli Tryon (Diptera: Agromyzidae)
    5. Pea blue butterfly Lampides boeticus Linnaeus (Lepidoptera Lycaenidae)
    6. Pea green aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum (Harris) S. lat. (Hemiptera: Aphididae)
    7. Cut worm, Agrotis ipsilon (Hufnagel) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)
        
    Lentil
    
    1. Lentil pod borer, Etiella zinckenella (Lepidoptera: Phycitidae)
    2. Black aphid, Aphis craccivora Koch (Homoptera: Aphididae)
    3. Cut worm,  Agrotis ipsilon (Hufnagel) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)
        
    Lathyrus
        
    1. Pod borer, Helicoverpa armigera
    2. Aphid, Aphis craccivora Koch (Homoptera: Aphididae)
    3. Bean bugs, Clavigralla gibbosa Spinola (Hemiptera: Coreidae)
    
    Horsegram
    
    1. Pod borer, E. zinckenella (Lepidoptera:Phycitidae)
    2. Hairy caterpillar, Amsacta sp. (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)
    3. Aphids, Aphis craccivora (Homoptera: Aphididae)
    4. Whitefly and Green Jassid
    5. Plume moth, Exelastis atomosa (Lepidoptera: Pterophoridae)
        
    Oilseeds
    Mustard/Toria / Gobhi Sarson
    
    1. Mustard Aphid, Lipaphis erysismi (Hemiptera : Aphididae)
    2. Mustard saw fly: Athalia lugens proxima (Hymenoptera: Tenthredinidae)
    3. Leaf webber: Crocidolomia binotalis (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)
    4. Leaf miner: Chromatomyia horticola (Phytomyza atricornis)(Diptera: Agromyzidae)
    5. Cabbage head borer: Hellula undalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae)
    6. Diamondback moth: Plutella xylostella (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae)
    7. Painted bug: Bargrada hilaris cruciferarum (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae)
    
    Polyphagous Pests
        
    1. Rodents

2.1    Cereals
    Wheat
    
    1. Yellow rust or stripe rust
    2. Brown rust
    3. Loose smut
    4. Flag smut
    5. Karnal bunt
    6. Powdery mildew
    7. Leaf blight
        
    Barley
    
    1. Leaf stripe
    2. Covered smut
    3. Loose smut
         
    Pulses
    Chickpea
    
    1. Ascochyta blight
    2. Grey mould
    3. Dry root rot
    4. Collar rot
    5. Wilt
    
    Lentil
    
    1. Ascochyta blight
    2. Anthracnose of lentil
    3. Wilt
    4. Sclerotinia stem rot
    
    Field pea
    
    1. Powdery mildew
    2. Rust of peas
    3. Downy mildew of peas
    
    Rapeseed and Mustard
    
    1. Alternaria blight
    2. Rust or white blister
    3. Downy mildew
    4. Powdery mildew
    
    Linseed
    
    1. Rust
    2. Wilt
    3. Blight of linseed

2.1    Introduction

The hot and usually wet conditions in tropics adversely affect the performance of insecticides as well as biology of the pests. Pesticide usuage is declining throughout the world, but in tropics it is likely to increase threatening basic biological components of pest management, environment and safety of people.  Pest management in tropical agriculture is basically influenced by high diversity of organisms, diversity of physical features and ecosystems, moderate seasonal weather changes, and the human factor. The high biological diversity of the tropics includes a wide range of interacting organisms from which have been identified pests that affect health crops and livestock as well as cultural practices for pest management.  Physical features of the tropics are also diverse, and include high-altitude temperate zones, rain forests, savannah woodlands, grasslands, and desert zones. Each zone has its own biological diversity either existing in isolation or overlapping with others. Moderate seasonal weather changes in the tropics affect populations indirectly, through modification of interactions between organisms.

Introduction

Plantation crops are high value commercial crops which are broadly classified as estate crops consisting of crops like tea, coffee and rubber and small holders plantation crops like coconut, cashew, arecanut, cocoa etc. Spices especially black pepper, cardamom, vanilla, tree spices like clove, nutmeg, cinnamon and allspice are generally grown as mixed crops in perennial cropping systems. In India, plantation crops including spices are grown in an area of three million hectares and generate an annual income of more than Rs, 5,53,630 million. They are valued for multifarious uses to meet the human needs such as food, oil, industrial raw materials, beverages and confectionary items. Pests and diseases are the major limiting factors in increasing the productivity of these crops. Among the pests, nematodes have got a major role in devastating the pepper plantations by the involvement in slow wilt disease, nematode diseases of cardamom nurseries, root-knot nematode infestation in ginger, turmeric, clove, nutmeg, allspice, lesion nematode infestation in tea, coffee, etc.

Introduction

Biological control of plant pathogens is currently accepted as a key practice in sustainable agriculture. Plant parasitic nematodes and mycorrhizal fungi are commonly found inhabiting the same soil and colonizing roots of their host plants. These two groups of microorganisms exert a characteristics, but opposite effect on plant health. The potential role of mycorrhizal fungi as biocontrol agent for the control of nematode plant diseases has recently received considerable attention. The literature on the various aspects of VAM research such as interaction of VAM- mycorrhizal fungi with nematode pathogens (Sikora, 1995, Pinochet et al. 1996), biotechnology and future of VAM commercialization (Wood and Cumming, 1992) and trends in mycorrhizal research (Sahay et al. 1998) has been reviewed. The damage due to nematodes diseases is generally decreased in mycorrhizal fungi has shown an antagonistic influence on the population of plant parasitic nematodes (Nagesh et al. 1999, Kantharaju et al.

Protected Cultivation

Protected cultivation (PC) may be defined as the “modification of the natural environment to achieve optimum plant growth” (Singh, 2005). Modifications can be made to both the aerial and root environments to increase crop yields, extend the growing season and permit plant growth during periods of the year not commonly used to grow open field crops. PC may also indicate comprehensive systems of ‘Controlled Environmental Agriculture’ in which all the aspects of natural environment are modified for maximum plant growth and economic return.

Introduction

Nematodes are cosmopolitan and ubiquitous in occurrence. These have been reported in all kinds of ecological niche. Accordingly, different kinds of nematode fauna had evolved with distinct morphological features and physiological variability. However, development and perception keep changing with the ambient environment. Agriculture has progressed with leap and bounce as human being has managed this to its maximum utility. The fast changes in agriculture definitely influenced the ecological niche and affected the flora and fauna. Consequently, specific and unspecific kind of relation evolved between host and parasite. With the thumb rule of ecological balance or homeostasis. In the dynamic Mother Nature, multispecies heterogeneous complex is sustained and nature do not perpetuate homogeneity.

Introduction

Banana is the forth ranked agricultural crop in the world and first among fruits. A large number of pests and diseases threaten banana production. The major constraints in production are diseases and pests transmitted through the conventional planting materials. Although the average yield for bananas worldwide is over 40 t per hectare, production in India averages only 20 t per hectare. The nematode parasites are among the most important pests on commercial and subsistence banana production and their control remains difficult, as the nematodes are involved in the destruction of primary roots that disrupt the anchorage system resulting in toppling or uprooting of plants. The most widespread and important are burrowing nematode, Radopholus similes, some species of root lesion nematode, Pratylenchus coffeae and P. goodeyi, species of root knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita and M. javanica; the spiral nematode, Helicotylenchus multicinctus, H. mucronatus and semi endo-parasitic nematode Rotytlenchus reniformis.

Introduction

Seed spices have prominent place in India’s national economy because of their very high domestic consumption and growing demand for export. This group of spices, being consisting of mostly annual crops, is grown extensively in rotation with food and cash crops and also as inter crops under rain fed as well as irrigated conditions.

There are about 20 seed spice crops grown in India. Out of which nine are important in terms of production and export. The most important ones are coriander, cumin, fennel and fenugreek (major seed spices) and ajowain, aniseed, black cumin, celery and dill (minor seed spice crops). Although these crops are grown all over India but Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Orissa, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh are the main seed spice growing states.

Introduction

Rice (Oryza sativa L.), one of the most important cereal crops of India, occupies 23.3 per cent of total cropped area of the country. Rice contributes 43 per cent of total food grain production and 46 per cent of total cereal production. It continues to play a vital role in the nation’s food grain supply. It is also a staple food of nearly half of the world population. Rice is primarily a high caloric food having protein content (6-17%) with high biological value and a low amount of fat (2-2.5%). B-group vitamins content in rice grains are at par with wheat, however, calcium content in rice is generally low. It ranks third after wheat and maize in terms of worldwide production. Asia accounts for 90 and 92% of the world’s rice area and production, respectively. Thus, rice production, consumption and trade are concentrated in Asia. Among the rice growing countries in the world, India has the largest areas under rice crop and ranks second in production next to China.

Introduction

Maize (Zea mays Linn) is the most widely distributed crop of the world. It adapts easily to a wide range of production environments and is grown in tropical, subtropical and temperate regions of the world. It holds a unique position in world agriculture ranking third after rice and wheat in terms of area as well as production. In India too, it is the third most important cereal crop and is cultivated in 8. 17 m ha (2007-08) area. It contributes nearly 8% to the national food basket and more than Rs 100 billion to agricultural gross domestic products with an annual production of 19. 73 million tons. It is used as a source of human food (24%) animal feed (11%), poultry feed (52%), starch (11%), brewery and seed (1% each). In India it is largely grown in Northern states where it serves as an important staple food for an economically vulnerable population of submountainarean and hilly regions.

Introduction

Plant paprasitic nematodes are one of the limiting factors in the production of horticultural crops in the country. The visible symptoms of nematode attack are: Reduced individual plant growth, varying degrees of chlorosis, wilting of the foliage and sometimes death of the plants.

The roots, damaged by nematodes are not efficient in the utilization of available moisture and nutrients in soil resulting in reduced functional metabolism. Nematode infested roots are easily infected by various pathogenic fungi and bacteria and aggrevate root damage. These deleterious effects on plant growth result in reduced yield and poor quality of crops as in citrus, banana, grapevine, pineapple, papaya and vegetable crops. Decline or death of highly prised ornamentals and turf is often the result of nematode infestation.

Introduction

India has the distinction of being the largest producer of pulses in the world. Among the important pulse crops cultivated in the country are: chickpea, pigeonpea, lentil, mungbean, urdbean, fieldpea, rajmash and lathyrus. The pulse crops occupied an area of 22.85 million ha with a total production of 13.07 million tones and average productivity of 572 kg/ha. Being a high protein grain, pulses have special status in the diet, particularly for vegetarian population. Apart from being a good source of protein, they are also good source of energy, essential amino acids and vitamins in the daily diets of the people, especially of low-income group. Pulses have importance in sustainable agriculture by way of fixing atmospheric nitrogen in the soil.But with intensification of agriculture and introduction of irrigation and other facilities the area and production under pulses is declining so much so that per caput availability of pulses has declined from 69 g day-1 to about  36 g day^-1.