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The impact of different crop production systems was investigated on incidence of insect pests and their natural enemies, soil microflora and enzymatic activity, and quality of fruits produced in spring planted tomato at Ludhiana, Punjab, during 2017 to 2019. Production systems included conventional farming whereby indiscriminate and excessive use of agrochemicals is practiced, organic farming, and farming following Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) with IPM adoption. Higher Aphis gossypii and Helicoverpa armigera infestation was observed in organic fields followed by IPM and conventional fields. Aphid population showed a negative correlation with maximum and minimum temperature but a positive correlation with relative humidity, while the tomato fruit borer showed a positive correlation with maximum and minimum temperature but negative correlation with relative humidity and rainfall. The mean fruit yield in the farming system following IPM was maximum (50120 Kg ha-1) followed by conventional farmers' fields (408.1 q/ha) and organic fields (403.9 q/ha). The mean spider population under organic conditions (0.39-0.56) was significantly higher than that of IPM (0.26-0.36) and conventional farmers' fields (0.02-0.10). Soil samples from conventional fields revealed the presence of quinalphos and chlorpyriphos, while tomato fruit samples showed the presence of triazophos and mancozeb during 2017 and 2018. In 2017, the flavonoids and percent antioxidant activity in fruits from organic field were higher. The bacterial count in organic and IPM field soil increased from 5.4×107 and 4.9×107 CFU g-1 in 2017 to, respectively, 7.1×107 and 6.5×107 CFU g1 in 2019. The activity of alkaline phosphatase and urease was highest in organic fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The mungbean/green gram is one of the major grain legume crops native to the Indian subcontinent, which was found damaged extensively by the pulse beetle, Callosobruchus maculatus during storage. Moreover, insect damage also causes chemical constituents of seeds leading to alteration in flavor, nutritive value, marketability and acceptability of the stored seeds. Therefore, present investigation was focused on evaluating bioefficacy of botanicals in the protection of green gram grains from C. maculatus and also the changes on biochemical properties during six months of storage. Methods: During the experimentation, green gram seeds were treated with selected botanicals in the form of oils, powders and their aqueous extracts and the effects on pulse beetle in terms of adult emergence and seed damage was recorded up to six months storage. Changes in biochemical constituents of the stored grains were also recorded . Result: The study revealed significantly lesser number of exit holes/100 grains (1.33 to 13.33), adult emergence (4.33 to 15.00 no.), weight loss (0.92 to 3.10%) and grain damage (1.40 to 5.40%) in neem oil @ 3.0% after one month interval. The crude protein values did not vary significantly among the treatments, but the alcoholic acidity varied between 0.30-0.94%. The uric acid content in grains was increased with insect population. Significantly lower values of free fatty acids were recorded in the standard check which was at par with all the concentrations of neem oil, Karanj oil and 3.0% mustard oil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pulses are an integral component of food in India which acts as major source of protein required for growth and maintenance of body. But during their storage they suffer heavy losses resulting in depletion of their quality and edibility. The present studies focused on disinfestation of green gram grains using microwaves as an alternative approach to chemical methods for controlling insects in grains and pulses. Methods: In this laboratory studies during 2017-18, the grains of green gram were infested with different life stages of the cowpea weevil and exposed to 200, 400, 600 and 800 W microwave power levels, each at an exposure period of 10, 20, 30 and 40 s. Result: Eggs were the most susceptible, while pupal and adults were the least susceptible life stages to microwave treatments. Complete mortality of eggs was achieved with microwave treatments (400, 600 and 800 W), each at an exposure period of 30 and 40 s. Complete inhibition of larval stage was attained with 400 and 600 W (30 and 40 s) and 800 W (20, 30 and 40 s exposure) while for pupal stage it was observed at the higher wattages of 600 (40 s exposure) and 800 (30 and 40 s exposure). Microwave wattage of 600 W for 40 sand 800 W for 30 and 40 s exposure caused 100% mortality of 2d old adults of cowpea bruchid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]