AL SC R IEN TU C A E N F D O N U A N D D Journal of Applied and Natural Science 6 (2): 770-778 (2014) A E I T L JANS I O P N P A ANSF 2008 Biology and management of mealybug, Paracoccus marginatus Williams and Granara de Willink on Jatropha curcas L. Veeresh Kumar*, S. C. Topagi, B. S. Rajendra Prasad, Revanasidda, K. B. Tharini and C. T. Ashok Kumar Department of Entomology, University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK, Bangalore (Karnataka), INDIA *Corresponding author, E-mail : [email protected] Received: August 21, 2014; Revised received: November 15, 2014; Accepted: December 06, 2014 Abstract: Jatropha cultivation is gaining importance as potential source of biofuel. Recently Paracoccus marginatus has been found to cause serious damage on Jatropha. Studies on the biology and management of P. marginatus at GKVK, Bangalore revealed that the females had three nymphal instars without any pupal stage, while the male had three nymphal instars besides, pre-pupal and pupal stages. The total nymphal period for female ranged from 14 to 21 days, (mean- 17.32±1.6 days) while for male the range was 16 to 23 days, (mean- 18.9±1.3 days). Bisexual and parthenogenetic modes of reproduction were observed. The fecundity of the female mealybug ranged from 248 to 967, with an average of 618.9±19 eggs. Evaluation of insecticides revealed that during first spray and second spray, mean per cent reduction of mealy bug population was highest in profenophos 0.05% (68.05 and 79.35) followed by buprofezin 0.025% (63.61 and 72.69). Least per cent reduction of mealy bug was observed in the NSKE 5% (17.94 and 25.77) treatment. Keywords: Insecticides, Insect pests, Jatropha, Natural enemies, P. marginatus INTRODUCTION of honey dew on leaves, sooty mould development, stunted growth, deformation and death of the plants in Biofuels are being promoted as sustainable alternatives case of severe infestation (Meyerdirka et al ., 2004; to fossil fuels and the potential sources include jatropha, Lynne et al ., 2005 ; Walker et al., 2008). pongamia, mahua, neem, tumba, sal, jajoba and chullu. Since P. marginatus causes serious damage to Among these Jatropha curcas L. (Euphorbiaceae) jatropha, the present investigation was carried out to seems to be more promising, since the seeds are very study the biology and to identify effective means of rich in oil (40%), which is used as biofuel (Dehgan, suppression of this pest on jatropha. 1984; Pant et al., 2006). Although a native of Mexico and tropical America, it is being naturalized now MATERIALS AND METHODS throughout the world. Biology of P. marginatus was studied in the laboratory There are 22 species of insect and mite pests infesting during 2011 at Gandhi Krishi Vigyan Kendra jatropha of which papaya mealybug Paracoccus (GKVK), Bangalore. The mean maximum and marginatus Williams and Granara de Willink causes minimum temperatures prevailed during the study severe damage (Veereshkumar and Ashok kumar, were 28.5ºC and 19.1ºC, respectively with mean 2013). In India, the mealybug, P. marginatus was relative humidity of 88.30 per cent. Terminal shoots of recorded in 2008 on papaya ( Carica papaya L), jatropha having cut ends were immersed into 250 ml mulberry ( Morus spp.), jatropha ( Jatropha curcus L.) conical flask containing water to maintain the turgidity, and tapioca ( Manihot esculenta Crantz), besides on placed in insect rearing cages (35cm x 30cm x 35cm). some flower crops, vegetables and fruits (Regupathy Individual eggs were placed on the terminal shoots and Ayyasamy, 2009; 2010; Mahalingam et al., 2010). with a fine camel hair brush and totally twenty five More recently P. marginatus has been found to cause replications were maintained. Observations were made serious damage on jatropha . Initially the mealybugs, twice in a day, on the incubation period, moulting congregated on apical shoots and later covered the period (to estimate the duration of each instar), total entire plant; both nymphs and adults are found to suck number of instars, pre pupa and pupa, pre oviposition, the sap from leaves, shoots and fruits. The infestation oviposition and post oviposition period, fecundity and resulted in symptoms like crinkling or twisting of adult longevity. leaves and shoots, bunched and unopened leaves, Efficacy of insecticide molecules and botanicals on P. yellowing of leaves or leaf drop, fruit drop, appearance marginatus was studied on jatropha seedlings raised in ISSN : 0974-9411 (Print), 2231-5209 (Online) All Rights Reserved © Applied and Natural Science Foundation www.ansfoundation.org 771 Veeresh Kumar et al. / J. Appl. & Nat. Sci. 6 (2): 770 - 778 (2014) pots under glass house condition. The seedlings were pupae and adults (both male and female) of P. artificially infested with 50 individuals of P. marginatus marginatus on jatropha are shown in Table 1. The (2 nd and 3 rd instar nymphs) each. Three seedlings were growth parameters on developmental periods of egg, maintained per treatment in each replication and the nymphal instars, pupae, adult (both male and female), seedlings were kept at safe distances away to avoid pre-oviposition, oviposition, fecundity and drifting of the insecticides, while spraying. post-oviposition period are shown in Table 2. The initial population of P. marginatus was recorded. Studies on the biology of P. marginatus revealed that The respective spray solution at the required eggs are greenish yellow and are laid in an egg sac concentration was prepared and 1 ml of sticker was which is 3-4 times the body length and entirely added to each litre of the suspension. The experiment covered with white wax. The incubation period varied was laid out in CRD, comprising of ten treatments, from 3 to 9 days in female and 3 to 10 days in male. with three replications. The treatments were imposed Similar biology observations were recorded by Miller by using a Ganesh hand sprayer. Observations were and Miller (2002), Walker et al. (2008), Muniappan et recorded both before spraying, two, five and ten days al. (2008) and Singh and Beera (2010) who reported after spraying. that the egg-laying of P. marginatus was usually in a Observations were made on natural enemies of P. small white ovi-sac and egg hatching occurred in about Marginatus at fortnight intervals. The percent 10 days. parasitisation of major parasitoid was recorded and Female had three nymphal instars; the duration of first, correlated with the weather parameters. second and third nymphal instars being 5.32, 3.48 and 8.52 days, respectively. The total developmental RESULTS AND DISCUSSION period of female nymphs ranged from 14 to 21 days, Morphometrics and biology of P. marginatus : The with a mean of 17.32 days. The present results are also morphometric measurements on egg, nymphal instars, in conformity with the findings of Muniappan et al. Table 1. Morphometric measurements of different life stages of P. marginatus on Jatropha (*n=10). S. Length(mm) Width(mm) Insect stages No. Range *Mean ± SD Range Mean ± SD 1 Egg 0.32 0.37 0.35±0.01 0.15 0.17 0.16±0.01 Nymphs 2 I 0.39 0.42 0.41±0.01 0.19 0.21 0.19±0.01 3 II 0.48 0.59 0.55±0.03 0.28 0.33 0.29±0.01 4 III 0.79 0.93 0.88±0.04 0.52 0.61 0.57±0.03 5 Pupa 1.52 1.88 1.78±0.12 0.42 0.62 0.05±0.06 Adult 6 Female 2.14 2.34 2.14±0.06 1.12 1.29 1.21±0.05 7 Male 1.28 1.36 1.29±0.03 0.15 0.19 0.17±0.01 Table 2. Life cycle stages of P. marginatus on Jatropha (*n=25). Stage of Life cycle Female Male Duration (in days) Duration (in days) Min Max *Mean ±SD Min Max Mean ±SD Incubation period 3 9 6.80±2.0 3 10 6.80±2.0 Nymphal instars I 4 6 5.32±0.6 5 7 5.8±0.7 II 3 4 3.48±0.5 4 5 4.5±0.5 III 7 11 8.52±1.3 7 11 8.6±1.5 Total nymphal period 14 21 17.32±1.6 16 23 18.9±1.3 Pre pupal period - - - 2 3 2.3±0.48 Pupal period - - - 4 5 4.7±0.4 Pre-oviposition period 6 9 8.28±1.02 - - - Oviposition period 11 15 13.48±1.4 - - - Post-oviposition period 7 9 7.64±1.0 - - - Adult longevity 25 33 29.44±2.2 2 3 2.2±0.4 Fecundity/ female 248 67 618.9±19 - - - Total life span 42 63 53.56±3.2 27 44 34.5±1.5 Table 3. Efficacy of insecticides and botanicals against P. marginatus (First spray). Mean number of mealybugs per plant Mean % reduction Treatment of mealybug DBS 2 DAS % reduction 5 DAS % reduction 10 DAS % reduction population 46.33 24.67 23.00 23.67 Dimethoate 30EC (0.06 %) 46.34 48.75 47.26 47.45 (6.84) (5.01) bc (4.84) c (4.89) c Veeresh Kumar 47.33 22.00 21.00 22.00 Thiamethoxam 25 WDG (0.0125 %) 53.15 54.19 52.01 53.12 (6.91) (4.73) bc (4.64) bc (4.74) c 47.33 20.67 18.33 17.33 Methomyl 40SP (0.04 %) 55.99 60.01 62.19 59.40 (6.91) (4.60) b (4.34) b (4.21) bc 42.33 15.67 13.00 11.00 et al.