Pest abundance in kharif rice as influenced by cultivation and plant protection practices Anitha G.*, Shanker Chitra1, Bhushan V. Shashi2, Srinivas C., Devi G. Uma Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad, 500030 1Indian Institute of Rice Research, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad, 500030 2Nichino India Pvt. Ltd, Hyderabad *Email: gorthianitha@gmail.com (corresponding author)
Abstract Yellow stem borer Scirpophaga incertulas (Walker), hispa beetle Dicladispa armigera (Oliver) and leaf folder Cnaphalocrocis medinalis (Guenée) are some important pests observed in rice crop. An experiment was conducted in a split plot design in the College Farm, Rajendranagar with three methods of cultivation viz., transplanting, broadcasting and drum sowing as the main treatments and plant protection measures viz., organic protection, farmers’ practice and no protection as sub-treatments. Two years data reveal that broadcasting plus farmers’ practice resulted in significantly least incidence of deadhearts (2.05%); and white ear infestation was significantly minimum (0.45–0.52%) in the organic protection and farmers’ practice in all the main treatments and higher in the ‘no protection'plots (0.59–1.18%). Leaf folder incidence was significantly least in the drum sown plus farmers’ practice (0.77 folded leaves/hill) and significantly maximum in ‘no protection’ plots of transplanted and drum sown rice. Drum sown and broadcasted cultivation systems resulted in lesser pest incidence than the conventional transplantation methods, while farmers’ practice led to lesser incidence compared to the organic protection and ‘no protection’ methods. Top Keywords Rice transplanting, broadcasting, drum sowing, stem borer, hispa, leaf folder, incidence, organic, protection, farmers practice. Top |