Division of Entomology, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi-110012, (India).
Chickpea, Cicer arietinum Linn. is the most important pulse crop in eastern Uttar Pradesh (India). Among its major insect pests, Agrotis ipsiion (Hufnagel), Euxoa spinifera (Hübner) and Mythimna separata (Walker) appear during the seedling stage; while the pod borer, Heiiothis armigera (Hübner) during the active vegetative growth with a high incidence at pod formation stage. During 1995–96 crop season, the pest appeared by the end of December–January in chickpea fields and slowly there was a build-up of insect populations. However, by the end of February and early March, it transformed into a severe outbreak of H. armigera. It was found damaging leaves, tender shoots, apical tips, Dower buds and the pods. The larval population ragned from 70–90/fifteen plants. The farmers suffered unprecedented losses in eastern Uttar Pradesh, particularly in the districts of Azamgarh, Mau, Varanasi, Ghazipur, Ballia, Gorakhpur, Jaunpur and Ambedkar Nagar. Losses in seed yield varied from 75 to 90 per cent. The farmers of Azamgarh district were worst hit as in many places there was 100 per cent loss in seed yield. The population of insect pest declined fast by the end of March 1996 with the rise in temperature. A number of climatic factors like temperature, rainfall, relative humidity, sunshine and wind speed may be attributed for the population build-up and outbreak of H. armigera. To avoid such a situation in future, there should be a regular monitoring of pest population in order to take timely plant protection measures to contain the pest problem.
