Diversity of Insect Fauna of Onion in Low and Mid-Hill Regions of Himachal Pradesh

Indian Journal of Entomology 83(2021) Online published Ref. No. e20182 DoI No.: 10.5958/0974-8172.2020.00228.X

DIVERSITY OF INSECT FAUNA OF ONION IN LOW AND MID-HILL REGIONS OF HIMACHAL PRADESH

Priyanka Kaundal* and Ajay Kumar Sood1

Department of Entomology and Agricultural Zoology, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005 1Department of Entomology, CSK HPKV, Palampur 176062 *Email: [email protected] (corresponding author)

ABSTRACT

Present survey was undertaken to determine the diversity of insect fauna associated with rabi onion at three crop growth stages in ten localities representing two agroecological zones of Himachal Pradesh during 2018. A total of 13 insect species including 10 pestiferous and 3 beneficial insects from 6 orders and 9 families were observed. The pestiferous insects were Altica sp., Chromatomyia horticola (Goureau), Euconocephalus sp., Gryllus sp., Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner), Melolontha furicicauda Ancey, Nezara viridula L., Spodoptera litura (F.), Thrips tabaci Lindeman and Trichoplusia orichalacea F. and beneficial insects namely, Coccinella septempunctata L., Coccinella transversalis F. and Hippodamia variegata Goeze. Among these, T. tabaci and C. septempunctata were prevalent in all the ten localities during bulb initiation and development stage. Maximum diversity was observed during bulb initiation stage followed by bulb development, and Zone II was more diverse than Zone I; T. tabaci was found to be the eudominant species on onion with relative abundance of 96.9%.

Key words: Diversity, rabi onion, crop stages, Altica, Chromatomyia horticola, Gryllus, Euconocephalus Thrips tabaci, Melolontha furicicauda, Helicoverpa armigera, Spodoptera litura, Trichoplusia orichalacea, coccinellds

Onion Allium cepa L. is one of the most important hover fly larvae (Syrphidae) and predatory thrips vegetable and bulb crops and India is the second largest (Aeolothripidae) (Fok et al., 2014). In Himachal producer with productivity of 18.1 mt/ ha (Anonymous, Pradesh, Bhalla and Pawar (1977), Sanjta and Chauhan 2018). In Himachal Pradesh, low and mid-hills are the (2015) observed four insect species namely, T. tabaci, major onion growing regions. Onion crop is infested T. flavus Schrank, T. palmi Karny and Brachytrupes by a variety of arthropod pests reducing its yield and portentosus Licht associated with onion from different quality (Lorbeer et al., 2002). Globally, onion crop is parts of the state. However, detailed information on infested by insect pests of which thrips Thrips tabaci insect pests associated with onion and their abundance Lindeman, onion maggot Delia anitqua (Meign), beet in the state is lacking. So, the present survey to study the army worm Spodoptera exigua Hubner, head borer insect fauna in onion crop, their distribution, abundance Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner), golden wing moth and diversity in major onion growing regions. Trichoplusia orichalcea F., and cut worm Agrotis sp., are the major pests (Hall et al., 2011; Soro et al., 2011; MATERIALS AND METHODS Sarwar, 2012; Anonymous, 2016; Haile et al., 2016). Field surveys were undertaken in rabi onion growing In India, T. tabaci, S. litura, S. exigua, H. armigera, areas of low and mid-hill regions of Himachal Pradesh D. antiqua, Agrotis ipsilon Hufnagel, Liriomyza during February-April 2018. Ten localities from Zone huidobrensis Blanchard, Liriomyza sativa Blanchard I and Zone II were selected for recording associated are of importance (Soumia et al., 2017). Literature pestiferous and beneficial insects (predators). In Zone I, reveals that T. tabaci is of major significance in all the Berthin (656 masl), Nadaun (466 masl), Una (350 masl), onion growing countries, inflicting 18-80% yield losses Kangra (786 masl), Nagrota Bagwan (859 masl) and in (Sato, 1989; Kumar et al., 2001; Waiganjo et al., 2008; Zone II, Sarkaghat (1027 masl), Bajaura (1103 masl), Soumia et al., 2017). Banjar (1416 masl), Jogindernagar (1221 masl) and Thrips population is regulated by natural enemies Palampur (1290 masl) were selected. At each locality, like anthocorid bugs (Anthocoridae), lacewing larvae three locations were selected where no insecticides were (Chrysopidae), ladybird beetles (Coccinellidae), being used by the growers. The locations were visited 2 Indian Journal of Entomology 83(2021) Online published Ref. No. e20182 thrice, once each during vegetative (February), bulb Subdominant (3.2–10%), Recedent (1.1– 3.1%) and initiation (March) and bulb development stage (April). Subrecedent (<1%). For recording the associated insect fauna with rabi onion crop, 100 plants were observed at each location RESULTS AND DISCUSSION in the farmer’s field by randomly placing a quadrat of 1 m. From each quadrat, 10 plants were selected Faunal diversity: A total of 13 insect species for recording in situ observations on the abundance belonging to 6 orders and 9 families were found of insect pests and associated beneficial insects. Non- associated with rabi onion in Zone I and Zone II of destructive method of sampling was deployed for Himachal Pradesh (Table 1). Both pestiferous and sampling all the insects. Thrips count was taken by beneficial insects were observed, and among the insect using hand lens. For recording the incidence of leaf pests, three belonged to order Lepidoptera, two each miner, observations were made on the basis of number to Coleoptera, Diptera and Orthoptera and one to of live mines. Thysanoptera. Whereas, all the beneficial insects were to the family Coccinellidae under Coleoptera. Of all Insect pests and beneficial insects associated with the localities surveyed, maximum number of insect rabi onion in different localities were collected and species were encountered at Palampur (9) followed brought to laboratory. The immature stages were by Berthin and Kangra (6 each), Nagrota Bagwan reared to adult stage in the laboratory. Adults were and Jogindernagar (5 each) whereas, the minimum pinned, catalogued and preserved for determining their number (3) was in Nadaun. The descending order of identity. Soft bodied insects like thrips were preserved the association of pest species in different localities was in 70% ethanol. Specimens collected were identified Palampur (6), Berthin (4), Kangra and Sarkaghat (3), using available taxonomic keys. Preserved specimens Nagrota Bagwan, Una, Banjar, Bajaura, Jogindernagar of thrips were sent to Dr Kaomud Tyagi, Scientist, (2 each) and Nadaun (1) and for coccinellid predatory Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata, West Bengal for beetle was Kangra, Nagrota Bagwan, Jogindernagar determining their identity. Species diversity was worked and Palampur (3 each), Berthin, Nadaun, Una, Banjar out by using different indices such as Margalef’s index and Bajaura (2 each) and Sarkaghat (1). Among all the of richness (MI), Shannon-Wiener Diversity index insects recorded in present study, Thrips tabaci and (H), Simpson’s index (D), Pielou’s evenness index (J) Coccinella septempunctata were the most prevalent and Berger-Parker index of dominance (d) by using and were recorded from all the ten localities surveyed, standard formula. The Engelmann’s scale of dominance followed by Hippodamia variegata (8), Coccinella was used to evaluate the dominance structure of onion transversalis (5), Chromatomyia horticola (5), ecosystem as elaborated and used by Dalal and Gupta Spodoptera litura (4) and Helicoverpa armigera (3) (2016). Based on relative abundance, the dominance whereas Altica sp., Euconocephalus sp., Gryllus sp., structure was categorized into five scales as follows: Nezara viridula and Trichoplusia orichalcea were Eudominant (>31.7%), Dominant (10.1–31.6%), observed at one locality each. White grub, Melolontha

Table 1. Insect fauna of rabi onion in Himachal Pradesh Economic status Order Common name Scientific name Family Pestiferous Coleoptera Blue beetle Altica sp. Chrysomelidae White grub Melolontha furcicauda Ancey Scarabaeidae Diptera Leaf miner Chromatomyia horticola Agromyzidae (Goureau) Green bug Nezara viridula L. Pentatomidae Lepidoptera Fruit borer Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner) Noctuidae Tobacco caterpillar Spodoptera litura F. Noctuidae Semilooper Trichoplusia orichalcea F. Noctuidae Orthoptera Grasshopper Euconocephalus sp. Tettigoniidae Field cricket Gryllus sp. Gryllidae Thysanoptera Onion thrips Thrips tabaci Lindeman Thripidae Beneficial Coleoptera Lady bird beetle Coccinella septempunctata L. Coccinellidae Transverse lady beetle Coccinella transversalis F. Coccinellidae Variegated ladybug Hippodamia variegata Goeze Coccinellidae Diversity of insect fauna of onion in low and mid-hill regions of Himachal Pradesh 3 Priyanka Kaundal and Ajay Kumar Sood furcicauda was found damaging bulbs at Raison including Himachal Pradesh (Awadalla et al., 2011; (Kullu) during February to March, 2017 at an altitude Sarwar, 2012; Sanjta and Chauhan, 2015; Soumia et of 1433 m. al., 2017).

Based on the available literature, it was observed that Abundance: Observations in low and mid hills of Altica sp. and Euconocephalus sp. were not recorded Himachal Pradesh revealed the prevalence of six pest earlier on onion and seems to be new host record while, species in Zone I and seven in Zone II (Table 2). T. leaf miner, C. horticola has been recorded earlier tabaci was found to be the most abundant species with by Gupta et al. (1985) and Bhat and Ahangar (2018) mean population levels of 154.7 and 117.7 thrips/100 from northern states of India. Field cricket Gryllus plants in Zone I and Zone II. The population levels of sp. and green bug, N. viridula recorded in present insect pests other than thrips varied from 0.1 to 0.4 and studies on onion were earlier observed by Wagan et 0.1 to 0.9 in Zone I and Zone II, respectively. In Zone al. (2014) from Pakistan and Awadalla et al. (2011) I, thrips population ranged between 84.5 to 199.9 with from Egypt, respectively. Lepidopteran insect species the minimum and maximum corresponding to Nadaun namely, H. armigera and S. litura were also observed and Kangra. Whereas in Zone II, minimum (59.3) by earlier workers from different parts of the world and maximum (182.7) thrips count was observed at including India (Soro et al., 2011; Wagan et al., 2014; Sarkaghat and Bajaura localities, respectively. The Chandel et al., 2016; Haile et al., 2016). Whereas, T. abundance of T. tabaci was found to be more in Zone I orichalcea infested onion in Myanmar and Ethopia in all three stages of crop growth as compared to Zone II. (Anonymous, 2016; Haile et al., 2016). White grub, Other insects were recorded only during bulb initiation Melolontha furcicauda feeding on onion bulbs derives and bulb development stages. Out of six species during support from the findings of Jerzy and Robert (2009) bulb initiation, four (Euconocephalous sp., H. armigera, who observed Melolontha spp. infesting onion bulbs N. viridula and S. litura) were abundant in Zone I and in Poland. However, for India it seems to be the new two in Zone II i.e. C. horticola and Gyllus sp. Whereas, record. Whereas, T. tabaci has already been recorded during bulb development stage, Zone II was found more from almost all the onion growing regions of the world abundant for all insect species.

Table 2. Abundance of insect fauna of rabi onion in Zone I and Zone II of Himachal Pradesh Zone Locality Abundance/ 100 plants Pestiferous insects Beneficial insects sp. sp. sp. Altica Coccinella Gryllus Thrips tabaci septempunctata Nezara viridula Spodoptera litura Euconocephalus Helicoverpa armigera Hippodamia variegata Trichoplusia orichalcea Trichoplusia Coccinella transversalis Chromatomyia horticola Chromatomyia I Berthin 0.0 1.9 0.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 137.9 0.0 1.4 0.0 0.8 Kangra 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.8 0.7 0.2 199.9 0.0 1.5 0.3 1.0 Nadaun 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 84.47 0.0 2.1 0.0 0.3 Nagrota Bagwan 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.3 0.0 0.0 155.1 0.0 1.1 0.3 0.9 Una 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.4 196.1 0.0 0.8 0.2 0.0 Mean 0.0 0.4 0.1 0.0 0.2 0.1 0.3 154.7 0.0 1.4 0.2 0.6 Relative abundance (%) - 0.24 0.01 - 0.14 0.07 0.21 98.18 - 0.76 0.08 0.30 II Banjar 0.0 3.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 81.7 0.0 0.8 0.0 0.2 Bajaura 0.0 0.9 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 182.7 0.0 1.5 0.0 1.6 Jogindernagar 0.0 1.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 97.5 0.0 1.6 0.1 0.7 Palampur 4.0 0.1 0.0 0.3 4.3 0.0 2.1 167.2 2.7 1.7 0.2 1.4 Sarkaghat 0.0 1.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.3 59.3 0.0 0.4 0.0 0.0 Mean 0.8 1.3 0.0 0.1 0.9 0.0 0.5 117.7 0.5 1.2 0.1 0.8 Relative abundance (%) 0.63 1.01 - 0.05 0.68 - 0.38 95.22 0.42 0.94 0.05 0.61 *Number of live mines 4 Indian Journal of Entomology 83(2021) Online published Ref. No. e20182

Three coccinellid species were found to be abundant species evenness (J) was observed at Palampur (0.20) at Zone 1 and Zone II (Table 2), out of which C. and Una (0.06), respectively. In all the localities thrips septempunctata was recorded from all ten localities with were dominant with the‘d’ index value ranging between minimum and maximum numbers at Sarkaghat (0.4/ 0.92 (Palampur) to 0.99 (Una). The diversity indices for 100 plants) and Nadaun (2.1/ 100 plants). Whereas, C. growth stages revealed that the value of all the indices transversalis and H. variegata were found in five and was more for Zone II as compared to Zone I. eight localities with counts of 0.1 to 0.3 (Jogindernagar and Kangra and Nagrota Bagwan) and 0.2 to 1.6/ Species dominance structure was evaluated using 100 plants (Banjar and Bajaura), respectively. The Engelmann’s classification. Out of nine species abundance of coccinellid predator species for different recorded from Zone I, only one was found to be crop growth stages revealed that during bulb initiation eudominant (T. tabaci) and other were subrecedent. stage, Zone I was found to have more abundance as Whereas in Zone II, one eudominant (T. tabaci), one compared to Zone II. During bulb development stage, recedent (Altica sp.) and eight subrecedent species abundance of C. septempunctata and H. variegata was were recorded. Relative proportion of T. tabaci in observed more in Zone II and that of C. transversalis Zone I (98.2%) was found to be more as that of Zone in Zone I. Maximum abundance of T. tabaci in present II (95.2%), depicting more abundance of other insects survey is supported by the findings of Sarwar (2012) in Zone II. However, pooled data for Zone I and Zone and Haile et al. (2016) who also recorded T. tabaci II revealed that only one insect species i.e. T. tabaci as the major pest in Pakistan and Ethiopia. However, with relative proportion 96.9% to be eudominant while Awadalla et al. (2011) reported onion thrips, N. viridula, all others were subrecedent. Dominance of T. tabaci in C. septempunctata and C. undercimpunctata to be the present studies is in line with observing of Haile et al. abundant insect species from Mansoura regions of (2016) who recorded the dominance of T. tabaci to be Egypt. more than 90% in Masha region of Ethiopia. Whereas, in contrast, Awadalla et al. (2011; 2017) observed the Diversity and dominance: Diversity of insect fauna maximum dominance of T. tabaci in onion with relative worked out for crop growth stages when pooled for Zone proportion varying between 36.3 to 36.9 and 52.57 to I and Zone II revealed that the value of richness index to 59.41% in different cropping seasons in Egypt. be maximum for Palampur (1.07) followed by Berthin (0.70) and Kangra (0.67) (Table 3). Whereas, the value REFERENCES was minimum for Nadaun (0.30) and was preceded by Anonymous. 2016. Pests of onion in Myanmar. https://www.ippc.int/ Una and Bajaura. Shannon-Wiener diversity index and static/ media/files/pestreport/2016/12/01/Pests_of_Onion_in_ Simpson index depicted the diversity to be maximum at Myanmar_O6dZiU0.pdf. Accessed on 3rd March, 2020. Palampur followed by Berthin. Maximum and minimum Anonymous. 2018. Annual report 2017-18. Statewise area and production

Table 3. Diversity of insect fauna of rabi onion in Himachal Pradesh Agroecological Locality No. of Total Margalef’s Shannon- Simpson’s Pielou’s Berger- zone species number index of Wiener index evenness Parker of richness Diversity index index of individuals index dominance (per 300 plants) S N MI H 1-D J d Zone I Berthin 6 1284 0.70 0.19 0.07 0.11 0.97 Kangra 6 1833 0.67 0.12 0.04 0.07 0.98 Nadaun 3 781 0.30 0.14 0.05 0.13 0.97 Nagrota 5 1420 0.55 0.11 0.03 0.07 0.98 Bagwan Una 4 1787 0.40 0.08 0.02 0.06 0.99 Zone II Banjar 4 772 0.45 0.23 0.09 0.16 0.95 Bajaura 4 1680 0.40 0.13 0.04 0.09 0.98 Jogindernagar 5 908 0.59 0.19 0.07 0.12 0.97 Palampur 9 1816 1.07 0.44 0.16 0.20 0.92 Sarkaghat 4 553 0.48 0.18 0.07 0.13 0.97 Diversity of insect fauna of onion in low and mid-hill regions of Himachal Pradesh 5 Priyanka Kaundal and Ajay Kumar Sood

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(Manuscript Received: July, 2020; Revised: July, 2020; Accepted: November, 2020; Online Published: December, 2020) Online published (Preview) in www.entosocindia.org Ref. No. 20182