ESTIMATION OF QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE LOSSES DUE TO MAJOR PESTS OF LUCERNE
RITU MAWAR* AND A. B. TAMBE
ICAR-Central Arid Zone Research Institute, Jodhpur-342003
AICRP on Forage Crops, and Department of Entomology,
Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri- 413 722
*(e-mail : ritumawar1976@gmail.com)
(Received : 18 September 2018; Accepted : 26 September 2018)
SUMMARY
Studies on avoidable losses due to aphids based on quantitative and qualitative traits and those inflicted by Spodoptera litura and Helicoverpa armigera based on quantitative traits were undertaken on lucerne crop during 2013-14. Green forage yield losses in lucerne up to 29.87 per cent due to aphids, 42.28 per cent due to S. lituara and seed yield losses upto 41.01 per cent due to H. armigera were noticed. However, results of influence of aphids on quality parameter of lucerne showed drastic reduction in chlorophyll, dry matter, crude fibre, phosphorous, potassium, ash and calcium and increase in sugar content.
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