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White grubs are the major insect pests of cultivated plants in semi arid agro-ecosystem of Rajasthan. It is important to understand diversity, abundance and distribution of scarabaeid beetles for planning effective pest management programme. The experimental data were collected from nine locations in three different ecosystems in Kharif season of year 2019. Species identification revealed that there was total nine species were recorded from 18885 specimens collected. The identified species were belongs under two subfamilies of Scarabaeidae family. Maximum specimens were collected in the month of July from selected sites. When species diversity was compared among different locations, it was found that Shannon Wiener diversity index varied from 1.235 to 1.095, which indicates that species were less diverse but frequently present. The present study can be used to formulate the integrated pest management strategies based on most abundance and diverse scarabaeids in semi-arid agro-ecosystem of Rajasthan.

A filed experiment was conducted to screen relative susceptibility of nine mothbean, Vigna acobitifolis varieties against two major sucking pests’ viz. jassid and whitefly. It was observed that MBS 803 and RMO 4-1-6-09 were less susceptible while RMO-225 and CZM-2 were highly susceptible and remaining cultivars were moderately susceptible to jassid. Varieties VMB101 and MBS605 were found to be less susceptible while CZM-2 and RMO 3-5-70 were highly susceptible and remaining cultivars were moderately susceptible to while fly.

Monitoring and population dynamics of tur pod bug, Clavigralla gibbosa in unprotected pigeonpea crop during kharif seasons from 2011 to 2014 at the Farmers field of Jurdcial area of S.D. Agricultural University, S.K. Nagar, North Gujarat, India. Temperature, rainfall and host-plant species were analyzed with respect to population fluctuation of the tur pod bug. The observations revealed that, the average number of larval population per plant in the season (from 27th to 3rd standard weeks) was 0.97, 0.32, 0.30 and 0.38 larvae per plant during 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 respectively. Population of C. gibbosa had significant and negative correlation with maximum temperature (r= -0.73), rainfall (r= -0.29) and relative humidity (r= -0.79, r= -0.58 morning and evening, respectively).

A seed treatment trial was conducted at research farm of Centre of Excellence for Research on Pulses, S. D. Agricultural University, Sardarkrushinagar. The experiment was conducted for the control of white fly by seed treatment, four insecticides were used for seed treatment with two different doses of each insecticides viz., Bifenthrin 10 EC, Imidacloprid 600FS,Thiomethoxam 35 FS and Fipronil 5%SC, these treatments were found significantly (at 5 %) superior over the control in reducing the white fly population in moth bean. The seed treatment with Thiomethoxam35 FS @5g/kg seeds found minimum white fly, Bemisia tabaci population (0.32 /leaf) followed by Imidacloprid 600FS @ 5 g/kg seeds (white fly 0.39/leaf) and maximum was recorded in control ( 1.06/leaf. Farmers are advised to use seed treatments with Thiomethoxam35 FS @5g/kg seeds or Imidacloprid 600FS @ 5 g/kg seeds before the sowing of moth bean crop for the control of white fly.

Annual monitoring of the population dynamics of Helicoverpa armigera in unprotected pigeonpea crop during kharif seasons of 2011 to 2014 for 4 years at the farmers field North Gujarat, India. Temperature, rainfall and host-plant species were analyzed with respect to population fluctuation of the insect pest. The observations revealed that, the average number of larval population per plant in the season (from 27th to 3rd standard weeks) was 0.97, 0.32, 0.30 and 0.38 larvae/plant during 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 respectively. Population of Helicoverpa armigera had significant and negative correlation with maximum temperature (r= -0.524), rainfall (r= 0.079) and relative humidity (r= -0.827, r= -0.595 morning and evening, respectively).

Among, six modules tested against Helicoverpa armigera on tomato, the IPM module I consisting interspersing of 1 row of african marigold after every 8 rows of tomato as well as on the periphery of the plot and spray of neem based formulation gromin 1 % EC @ 0.5 ml /l on appearance of the first instar larvae.IPM module II was interspersing of 1 row of african marigold after every 8 rows of tomato as well as on the periphery of the plot spray of neem based formulation gromin 1 % EC @ 0.5 ml /l on appearance of the first instar larvae and two spray of HaNPV @ 350 LE/ha alternated with neem oil @ 0.5 % + 0.1 % soap solution.IPM module III consisting interspersing of 1 row of african marigold after every 8 rows of tomato as well as on the periphery of the plot and two spray of Beauvaria basiana @ 40g/10 l at appearance of first instar larvae alternated with Nikuchhi @ 1.0 %. and IPM module IV are growing of african marigold after every 8 rows of tomato as well as on the periphery of the plot and two spray of HaNPV @ 350 LE/ha on appearance of first instar larvae followed by spray of Decidan 32.8% EC @ 15ml/10 litre. The IPM module V was alternate spray of Polytrin c 44 % EC @ 10ml/10 litre on appearance of first instar larvae and subsequent spray at 15 days intervals and Module VI was Control. IPM-IV module was found highly effective and economical for management of tomato fruit borer, Helicoverpa armigera and it exhibited least tomato fruit borer damage (3.44%) and maximum tomato yield (257.25q/ha). This research gave the best result to farmers for the control of H. armigera in tomato crops.

Legume pod borer, Maruca vitrata (Geyer) is one of the major constraints in increasing the production and productivity of grain legumes in the tropics. Keeping in view of the importance of this pest, present studies were carried out with the association of different morpho-chemical traits with resistance/susceptibility to M. vitrata at the Pulses Research Station, SDAU, S.K. Nagar. Some of the characters like flower colour, pod angle, protein, flavonoid, tannin and phenols were found to be associated with M. vitrata attack on cowpea genotypes. The pod damage by M. vitrata on different cowpea genotypes in the field ranged from 10.22 to 19.98%. High phenol content in pods (428.63mg/100g) and (326.33mg/100g) found responsible for the resistance of GC 5 and GC 0815, respectively and high flavonoid concentration in pods (484.08mg/100g) and (458.81mg/100g) in GC 5 and GC 0815 respectively were responsible for resistance. Based on these results, GC 5 and GC 0815 were categorized as moderately resistant. This paper discusses the physico-chemical traits associated with resistance to M. vitrata in cowpea variety/genotypes.

Investigation was carried out on the biology of melon fly, Bactrocera cucurbitae (Coquillett) (Diptera: Tephritidae) on sponge gourd at Sardarkrushinagar during 2012. External features of all the stages were described, and morphometrics measured. The duration of various stages was studied at 30.12 ± 0.95°C and 68.12 ± 11.98% RH. The incubation period and egg hatching % was observed to be 1.40 days and 79.57%, respectively. The larvae (maggots) passed through three instars. The total larval, prepupal and pupal period was 5.03, 0.61 and 7.13 days, respectively. Maximum pupation took place in dry soil between 7.5–10 cm depth and 2.5–5 cm in wet soil. The adults failed to emerge from pupae buried at 34 cm depth. Sex ratio of male: female was 1: 0.93. The average pre-oviposition, oviposition and postoviposition periods were observed to be 15.33, 2.34 and 4.51 days, respectively. The average fecundity was 178 eggs/female. The average longevity of male and female was 27.53 and 33.60 days with total life period being 47.11 and 56.83 days, respectively.

Maruca vitrata (Geyer) is a major limitation in pigeonpea production. Keeping this point in view, the field experiments were undertaken on “Web-forming Lepidopteran, M. virtata (Geyer): An emerging and destructive pest in pigeonpea”. The experiment was conducted at Pulse Research Station, S. D. Agricultural University, Sardarkrushinagar during kharif 2013–14 and 2014–15 in randomized block design having three replications and seven treatments. Spays were given at 50% flowering stage and then at 15 days interval. The results showed that both in individual years as well as in pooled data, two sprays of chlorantraniliprole 18.5 SC @ 0.15 ml/l of water gave maximum control of pod borers (3.33%) with maximum grain yield (1817 kg/ha) but was at par with indoxacarb 15.8 EC @ 0.5 ml/l pod borers damage (3.83%) with a grain yield (1758 kg/ha).

An experiment was conducted at Centre of Excellence for Research on Pulses, S. D. Agricultural University, Sardarkrushinagar during kharif 2012–13 and 2013–14 for knowing the impact of certain botanicals in comparison to insecticide indoxacarb. The experiment was conducted in randomized block design having three replications and eight treatments. Spays were given at 50% flowering stage and then at 15 days interval. The results showed that both in individual years as well as in pooled data, three sprays of indoxacarb 15.8 EC @ 0.5 ml/l of water gave maximum control of pod borers (10.17%) and pod fly (5.84%) with maximum grain yield (2144.17 kg/ha) but was at par with neem soap @ 10 g/l followed by two sprays of indoxacarb @ 0.5 ml/l for pod borers damage (11.0%) and pod fly (6.50%) damage with a grain yield (2100.0 kg/ha).