DALIP KUMAR, BAJRANG LAL SHARMA, DEEPIKA KALKAL, NARESH KUMAR, VIVEK KUMAR SAINI, RAHUL SAINI AND RAJ KUMAR
Department of Entomology, CCS Haryana Agricultural university, Hisar-125004 (Haryana), India
Department of Agricultural Meteorology, CCS Haryana Agricultural university, Hisar-125004 (Haryana), India Department of Zoology, Government College, Hisar-125004 (Haryana), India
*(e-mail : dilipshroff@rediffmail.com)
(Received : 02 December 2023; Accepted : 27 December 2023)
SUMMARY
To understand the merit of timely control measure tactic and feeding behaviour of earhead bugs, present investigations carried out at the Research Farm, Forage Section, Department of Genetics & Plant Breeding, CCS HAU, Hisar during Kharif, 2020-21 and 2021-22. Four sorghum varieties; selected on the basis of maturity, panicle type and susceptibility namely SSG 59-3 (loose), HJ 513 (semi compact), HC 136 and HC 308 (compact) for the experimentation and seeded in the month of July with 45 cm x 45 cm spacing. Yield losses to the tune of 36.3, 27.4, 30.9 and 7.1 per cent in Kharif, 2020 and 26.6, 26.5, 29.1 and 10.1 per cent in Kharif, 2021 avoided in varieties, HC 308, HJ 513, HC 136 and SSG 59-3, respectively can be avoided by adapting timely and proper control measures. Irrespective of varieties, 25.4 and 23.1 per cent of losses were averted during Kharif, 2020 and Kharif, 2021. Earhead bugs were first observed 64 to 68 days after sowing of sorghumvarieties. At this stage, panicles just started emerging from boot leaves. During anthesis period, only adults were observed in panicles and nymphs, if present, were scanty that confirms for anthesis period to be considered as preferred time for oviposition by earhead bugs. Number of earhead bugs i.e., adults and nymph were maximum at milky stage of panicle indicating a preference for milk stage of panicle. During initial stage of panicle, the apex part of panicle was most preferred for oviposition by numbers of adult females of earhead bugs and then they moved towards lower end of panicle as flowering portion progressed to bottom is very much crucial for population build-up of earhead bugs.
Key words: Earhead bugs, feeding behaviour, nature of damage, sorghum, yield losses