Hemiacridinae: Acrididae: Orthoptera) As a Pest of Paddy in Uttar Pradesh, India M.H

Scholars Academic Journal of Biosciences (SAJB) ISSN 2321-6883 (Online) Sch. Acad. J. Biosci., 2014; 2(10): 681-686 ISSN 2347-9515 (Print) ©Scholars Academic and Scientific Publisher (An International Publisher for Academic and Scientific Resources) www.saspublisher.com Research Article Taxonomic Studies and Ecological Observations of Hieroglyphus nigrorepletus (Hemiacridinae: Acrididae: Orthoptera) as a Pest of Paddy in Uttar Pradesh, India M.H. Akhtar, M.K. Usmani, M.R. Nayeem Department of Zoology, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh- 202002, Uttar Pradesh, India *Corresponding author Md Humayoon Akhtar Email: Abstract: Grasshoppers of the subfamily Hemiacridinae are polyphagus cause heavy damage to our cash crops and play havoc with almost every type of vegetation. Hieroglyphus nigrorepletus is the pest of rice, millet, maize and sugarcane in India. Both macropterous and brachypterous forms of the species are found. Maximum number of the species has been recorded from the rice followed by maize, grass and least number of the grasshoppers collected from the pigeon pea and fodder sorghum. The macropterous form seems to be far less common than the brachypterous form. In both the forms female are larger than male, thus showing intraspecific variation in morphological characteristics. Keywords: Hemiacridinae, Brachypterous, macropterous, paddy, pest, Uttar Pradesh INTRODUCTION North- Himalayan region, Middle- Gangetic plains and Acridoidea is one of the most important South- Vindhyan hills and plateau. It shares Nepal and superfamily of sub order Caelifera and order Orthoptera Tibet in northeast, Himachal Pradesh in northwest, which comprises the family Acrididae, widely Haryana, Rajasthan & Delhi in West, Madhya Pradesh distributed in India. Members of Acrididae are in south and Bihar in southeast. The climate varies from commonly known as locusts and grasshoppers. moderately temperate in the Himalayan region to Grasshoppers are the most diverse group of insects and tropical monsoon in the central plains and southern of great economic importance, because they constitute upland regions. In the plains, the average temperatures an important group of pests and pose a constant threat vary from 12.5°C to 17.5°C in January and 27.5°C to to grassland and forest plantations all over the world 32.5°C in May and June. Rainfall in the state ranges [24] and also cause significant damage to tree seedlings from 40-80 inches in the east to 24-40 inches in the and agricultural crops [11]. Most grasshoppers are west. The western region of the state is more advanced oligophagous and may be classified as graminivorous, in terms of agriculture. Majority of the population forbivorous and ambivorous or mixed feeders [15]. depends upon farming as its main occupation. Wheat, rice, sugar cane, pulses, oil seeds and potatoes are its Grasshoppers of the subfamily Hemiacridinae main products. are polyphagous, damaging crops and vegetations all over the world and have been studied [13,5,6,9,25,7]. Asian rice (Oryza sativa) is the most important Hieroglyphus nigrorepletus is one of the important pest staple food of half of the world's population especially causes sporadic damage to paddy crops and also in Asia and the West Indies. India is one of the world's injurious to maize, millet, sorghum and sugarcane all largest producers of white rice, accounting 20% of all over the country through severe efoliation and sorghum world rice production. Rice is India's preeminent crop, is most preferred among all [14]. Outbreak of this and is the staple food of the people of the eastern and grasshopper has been recorded in Gujarat [10], southern parts of the country. Paddy fields are a Rajasthan [1] and Himachal Pradesh [26]. Recently common sight throughout India. Paddy is cultivated taxonomy and ecology of the group has been studied twice a year in most parts of India, the two seasons [28,2,3,30,31,32,29] from Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand and being known as Rabi and Kharif respectively. The Bihar respectively. former cultivation is dependent on irrigation, while the latter depends on Monsoon. The paddy cultivation plays Uttar Pradesh is the fifth largest state of India, a major role in socio-cultural life of rural India. situated between 23°52’N and 31°28’N latitudes and 77°3' and 84°39’E longitudes and can be divided into MATERIALS AND METHODS three regions by different geographical conditions: I. Collection 681 Akhtar MH et al., Sch. Acad. J. Biosci., 2014; 2(10):681-686 Authors surveyed paddy fields of Uttar on their morphological structures. To prevent Pradesh to collect the grasshopper Hieroglyphus decomposition of dry specimens, naphthalene balls nigrorepletus during the period of 2010- 2012. They were kept in boxes and for wet preservation specimens were caught by the ordinary aerial insect net and are stored in plastic vials using 70 % ethyl alcohol. through hand picking as well. The collected specimens were killed in bottles having soaked cotton with ethyl RESULTS acetate. Two forms of Hieroglyphus nigrorepletus i.e., Brachypterous (short-winged) and Macropterous (long- II. Morphological Studies winged) has been reported from paddy fields of Uttar Dry mounts were prepared for better Pradesh, India. Brachypterous forms are more common understanding the certain characters like size, colour, and dangerous constitutes about 70% than macropterous texture etc. For this purpose, the specimens were first form imparting 30%. Resurgence of the species takes relaxed, stretched, later pinned and labeled. Complete place in July and disappears in December of each year. records were also maintained indicating the reference number, locality, date of collection and name of host Mean value (brachypterous forms) of male plants. body parts, pronotum, tegmina & hind femur (35.77, 8.18, 14.69 & 17.41) are lesser than female parts (39.22, III. Genitalic Studies 8.79, 18.15 &18.72) showing larger size of female and For detailed study, permanent slide of their smaller size of male. Value of standard deviation of genitalic structures (Supra anal plate, Sub genital plate, male incase of body parts (2.01) and tegmina (1.52) Epiphallus, Aedeagus, Ovipositor and Spermatheca) shows more deviation as compared to female body parts were prepared. For genitalic studies apical parts of male (1.84 & 4.69) and tegmina (0.91) respctively, where as and female were cut off and boiled in 10% KOH to it is less deviated incase of pronotum (0.48) & hind remove unsclerotized and non chitinous tissues. They femur (0.73) than female pronotum (0.63) and hind were then thoroughly washed in tap water for complete femur (0.77) respectively. The differences within the removal of KOH and examined in 70 percent ethyl male and female brachypterous forms reveals the alcohol on a cavity slide. The normal process of significant intersex variation (Table 1). dehydration was adopted and clearing was done in clove oil and were mounted separately on cavity slides Incase of macropterous forms Mean value of in Canada balsam. A 22 mm square cover-glass over the male body parts, pronotum, tegmina & hind femur cavity of the slide was normally used to prevent them (39.30, 8.52, 29.14 & 19.25) are also lesser than female from curling upwards and inwards at the edges. Slides parts (42.93, 8.87, 31.27 &20.62) showing larger size of were examined under the microscope and drawings female and smaller size of male. But the value of were made with the help of Camera Lucida. Details standard deviation of female incase of body parts were filled in by conventional microscope examination. (2.16), hind femur (0.77) and tegmina (2.28) shows more deviation as compared to male body parts (1.79) IV. Morphometry hind femur (0.42) and tegmina (1.99) respectively, Measurement in mm of four important where as it is less deviated incase of pronotum (0.40) differentiating parts of body (Body length, pronotum, than male pronotum (0.57) only. The differences within tegmina and hind femur) has been done with the help of the male and female macropterous forms reveals the Vernier Calliper using methodology used by Uvarov intersex variation in size (Table 2). (1966). Mean value, Standard Deviation of male and female of both macropterous and brachypterous forms Result of present study regarding the are calculated to show the differentiation and morphometric differentiation of the grasshoppers of intraspecific variation. two different forms collected from thirty six districts of Uttar Pradesh, India revealed intraspecific variation of V. Preservation brachypterous nnd macropterous forms of Hieroglyphus Permanent collections of pinned specimens nigrorepletus. were kept in store boxes and cabinets for further studies Table 1. Morphometic variation of brachypterous form of Hieroglyphus nigrorepletus Measurement Male Female Mean ± SD (mm) Male Female Body length 32.46-38.51 36.01- 41.52 35.77 ± 2.01 39.22 ± 1.84 Pronotum 7.49- 8.03 7.86- 9.32 8.18 ± 0.48 8.79 ± 0.63 Tegmina 12.35-16.67 16.53-19.16 14.69 ± 1.52 18.15 ± 0.91 Hind Femur 16.30-18.19 17.62- 19.78 17.41 ± 0.73 18.72 ± 0.77 682 Akhtar MH et al., Sch. Acad. J. Biosci., 2014; 2(10):681-686 Table 2. Morphometic variation of macropterous form of Hieroglyphus nigrorepletus Measurement Male Female Mean ± SD (mm) Male Female Body length 36.35-41.86 39.98- 45.89 39.30 ± 1.79 42.93 ± 2.16 Pronotum 7.55 - 9.10 8.36 - 9.43 8.52 ± 0.57 8.87 ± 0.40 Tegmina 26.74-31.66 28.62 -34.67 29.14 ± 1.99 31.27 ± 2.28 Hind Femur 18.71-19.83 19.47- 21.64 19.25 ± 0.42 20.62 ± 0.77 TAXONOMIC ACCOUNT narrow and undivided, concave,

Load more