1 All India Co-ordinated Research Project on Biological Control of Crop Pests ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT 2013-2014 Compiled and edited by B. Ramanujam Abraham Verghese Prashanth Mohanraj Chandish R. Ballal A.N. Shylesha K. Srinivasa Murthy M. Mohan Sunil Joshi R.Rangeshwaran National Bureau of Agriculturally Important Insects Bangalore 560 024 2 1 8 2 7 3 6 4 5 Cover page 1. Scientists who piloted the biocontrol based management of the sugarcane woolly aphid in Maharashtra. 2. A water body largely free of Salvinia molesta consequent to release of the biocontrol agent Cyrtobagous salviniae. 3. Dattatraya Haribhau Kand, a Pune farmer who successfully managed the papaya mealybug with the parasitoid Acerophagus papayae supplied by MP KV, Pune and went on to extend this technology to papaya farmers in the region. 4. The farmer-scientist team in front of the sugarcane field at Motori, Dhenkanal, Bhubaneshwar where the sugarcane early shoot borer and internode borer were successfully managed by releasing Trichogramma chilonis supplied by OUAT, Bhubaneshwar. 5. Foreign delegates interacting with NBAII staff at the International Agricultural Exhibition COP – II at Hyderabad. 6. Trichogramma japonicum Ashmead 7. Acerophagus papayae Noyes & Schauff 8. Cyrtobagous salviniae Calder & Sands Copyright © Director, National Bureau of Agriculturally Important Insects, Bangalore, 2014 This publication is in copyright. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in retrieval system, or transmitted in any form (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the Director, NBAII, Bangalore except for brief quotations, duly acknowledged, for academic purposes only. Cover design: Sunil Joshi 3 CONTENTS Page Sl. No. No. 1 Programme for 2013-14 2 Experimental Results 2.1 Basic Research 2.1.1 National Bureau of Agriculturally Important Insects i Taxonomic studies on parasites & predators of insect pests 1 ii Biodiversity of economically important Indian Microgastrinae (Braconidae) 1 iii Biodiversity of oophagous parasitoids with special reference to Scelionidae 2 (Hymenoptera) iv Biosystematics of Trichogrammatoidea (Hymenoptera) 3 v Biodiversity of aphids, coccids and their natural enemies 3 vi Molecular characterization and DNA barcoding of some agriculturally 4 important insect pests vii Molecular Characterization and DNA barcoding of Agriculturally Important 4 Parasitoids and Predators viii Diversity and predator-prey interactions with special reference to predatory 4 anthocorids and mites ix Studies on Trichogramma brassicae and Cotesia vestalis (plutellae) 5 interaction with their host in cabbage x Insecticide resistance monitoring studies 5 xi Microflora associated with insecticide resistance in cotton leafhoppers 6 xii Role of microbial flora of aphids in insecticide resistance. 6 xiii Introduction and studies on natural enemies of some new exotic insect pests 6 and weeds xiv Genetic diversity, biology and utilization of entomopathogenic nematodes 7 (EPN) against cryptic pests xv Biosystematics and diversity of entomogenous nematodes in India. 8 xvi Mapping of the cry gene diversity in hot and humid regions of India 8 xvii Effect of entomofungal pathogens on Bemisia tabaci infestation in tomato 8 and capsicum under protected cultivation xviii Diversity of Non Apis pollinators in different agroclimatic regions 9 xix Influence of elevated levels of carbon dioxide on the tritrophic interactions in 9 some crops xx Influence of infochemical diversity on the behavioural ecology of some 10 agriculturally important insects 2.1.2 Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 1. Survey and collection of Trichogramma strains from different agro-climatic 11 zone of India. 2. Evaluation of the collected Trichogramma strains for searching efficiency, 11 temperature tolerance and fecundity. 4 3. Breeding the better performing strains under laboratory conditions 12 2.1.3 Biodiversity of Biocontrol Agents from Various Agro Ecological Zones 1. Survey, collection and diversity analysis of biocontrol agents from various 14 agro ecological zones (AAU-A, AAU-J, ANGRAU, KAU, MPKV, PAU, SKUAST, TNAU, YSPUHF, CAU, UAS R, IARI, CTRI, CISH, Dir. Sorghum Res and Dir. Rice Res.) 2. Mapping of EPN diversity (PAU) 30 3. Surveillance for alien invasive pests in vulnerable areas (All centres) 34 2.2 Biological control of plant diseases using antagonistic organisms 1. Development of cost-effective WP/EC based Trichoderma (Th-14) 36 formulations and delivery system to increase their longevity and efficacy under field conditions (GBPUAT) 2. Identification, evaluation and exploitation of ISR activity of PGPR against 41 spot blotch of wheat under controlled conditions (GBPUAT). 3. Selection and promotion of plant growth promoting Trichoderma isolates for 45 crop health under sustainable agriculture (wheat, chickpea & rice). 4. Field evaluation of promising Trichoderma isolates for the management of 50 soil-borne and foliar diseases (GBPUAT). 5. Large scale field demonstration of bio-control technologies (GBPUAT). 55 6. Dose response of different fungicides with biocontrol agents for seed 56 treatment (GBPUAT). 7. Efficacy of Trichoderma (Th-14) on threshold level of soil borne plant 57 pathogens in glasshouse (GBPUAT). 8. Evaluation of fungal and bacterial antagonists against collar rot of groundnut 57 caused by Aspergillus spp. and Screlotium rolfsii (AAU-A) 9. Management of brinjal bacterial wilt with an isolate of Pseudomonas 58 florescence (CAU) 2.3 Biological suppression of pests of Sugarcane 1. Monitoring the sugarcane woolly aphid (SWA) incidence and impact 60 assessment of natural enemies on its bio suppression (ANGRAU, MPKV, TNAU, UAS-R) 2. Field evaluation of T. chilonis produced using Eri-silk worm eggs as 62 factitious host against early shoot borer of Sugarcane (NBAII) 2.4 Cotton 1. Monitoring diversity and out breaks for invasive mealy bugs on cotton 64 (ANGRAU, MPKV, PAU, TNAU). 2. Monitoring the diversity and outbreaks of sap sucking pests, mirids and their 66 natural enemies in Bt cotton ecosystem (MPKV). 5 2.5 Tobacco 1. Survey and collection of biocontrol agents (insect and pathogens) on 68 Orobanche (CTRI) 2. Natural enemies of tobacco aphids infesting different types of tobacco 68 (CTRI) 2.6 Rice 1. Seasonal abundance of predatory spiders in rice ecosystem (ANGRAU, 69 SKUAST) 2. Laboratory and field evaluation of fungal pathogens on gundhi bug, 74 Leptocorisa acuta (KAU) 2.7 Maize 1. Demonstration of Trichogramma chilonis against maize stem borer, Chilo 75 partellus (MPUAT) 2.8 Sorghum 1. Field evaluation of NBAII entomopathogenic fungal strains against stem 77 borer, Chilo partellus (Swinhoe) in Kharif sorghum (Dir. Sorghum Res.) 2.9 Pulses 1. Evaluation of Bt liquid formulations of NBAII (PDBC-BT1 and NBAII- 79 BTG4) and IARI Bt against pigeon pea pod borer (Helicoverpa armigera) and legume pod borer (Maruca testulalis). (AAU-A, MPKV, ANGRAU, UAS-R). 2. Evaluation of microbial agents for management of Lepidopteran pests on 85 Moong bean (Spodoptera litura, Helicoverpa armigera) (PAU) 3. BIPM against H. armigera in chick pea (MPUAT) 86 2.10 Oil Seeds 1. Biological suppression of safflower aphid, Uroleucon compositae 87 (ANGRAU, MPKV) 2. Evaluation of entomopathogens against soybean insect pest complex 88 (MPKV) 3. Validation of IPM module in soybean (MPUAT) 89 4. Field Evaluation of entomofungal pathogens against Soybean defoliators 91 (Dir. Soybean Res.) 5. Biological control of pests of gingelly (OUAT) 92 2.11 Coconut 6 1. Surveillance and need-based control of coconut leaf caterpillar, Opisina 93 arenosella in Kerala (CPCRI) 2. Scaling up and utilization of M. anisopliae through technology transfer 94 (CPCRI) 3. Entomopathogenic nematodes for management of Red palm weevil 94 (Rhynchophorus ferrugineus) (CPCRI) 2.12 Tropical Fruits 1. Field evaluation of Metarhizium anisopliae against mango hoppers (KAU, 96 MPKV, IIHR) 2. Survey, Collection, Identification and Mass Culturing of Trichogrammatids 98 and Entomopathogenic Nematodes from Mango Ecosystem in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand for evaluation against mango leaf webber (Orthaga euadrusalis) (CISH) 3. Biological suppression of mealy bugs, Maconellicoccus hirsutus and Ferrisia virgata with 99 Scymnus coccivora on custard apple (MPKV) 4. Monitor and record of incidence of papaya mealy bug and its natural enemies 100 on papaya and other alternate hosts (MPKV, KAU, TNAU, IIHR, NBAII) 5. Biocontrol of papaya mealy bug in Gujarat (AAU-A) 105 6. Bio-efficacy of EPNs against citrus trunk borer, Anoplophora versteegi 106 (CAU) 7. Laboratory & field evaluation of entomopathogens against banana 108 pseudostem weevil (KAU) 8. Laboratory and field evaluation of entomopathogens against pineapple mealybug 109 Dysmicoccus brevipes (Cockerell) (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) (KAU) 2.13 Temperate Fruits 1. Evaluation of entomopathogenic fungi and EPNs for the suppression of apple 110 root borer, Dorysthenes hugelii under field conditions. (YSPUHF) 2. Survey for identification of suitable natural enemies of codling moth 110 (SKUAST) 3. Field evaluation of Trichogramma embryophagum and T. cacoeciae against 111 codling moth, Cydia pomonella on apple (SKUAST) 2.14 Vegetables 1. Field demonstration of BIPM package for the management of key pests of Tomato (TNAU) 114 2. BIPM against H. armigera in tomato (MPUAT) 115 3. Biological control of brinjal mealy bug Coccidohystrix insolitus (TNAU) 115 4. Validation of different BIPM modules against shoot