Khalique Ahmed

Rearing the cotton bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera, on a tapioca-based artificial diet.

Abstract The impact of a tapioca-based artificial diet on the developmental rate, life history parameters, and fertility was examined over five consecutive generations for the cotton bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera Hubner (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), a highly polyphagous pest of many agricultural crops. The study showed that when fed the tapioca-based artificial diet during larval stage, larval and pupal developmental period, percent pupating, pupal weight, emergence rate of male and female, longevity, fecundity and hatching were non-significantly different than that of the control agar-based artificial diet. Moreover, the cost to rear on tapioca-based diet approached 2.13 times less than the cost of rearing on the agar-based artificial diet. These results demonstrate the effectiveness and potential cost savings of the tapioca-based artificial diet for rearing H. armigera.

Protection of stored chickpea, Cicer arietinum L. from attack of Callosobruchus chinensis L. (Coleoptera: Bruchidae)

Abstract Seeds of nine varieties of chickpea, Cicer arietinum L. were treated with different dose levels of mustard oil for assessing the efficacy of the oil against the attack of chickpea bruchid Callosobruchus chinensis. The treated seeds after two years of storage were subjected to germination tests to find out any deterrent effect of oil on the germination. Oil treatments could not impart protection to any of the ILC‐genotypes. The varieties CM‐72, NEC‐138–2, C‐141, HG‐202–6–1 and ICCL‐11514 were completely protected for five months at 10 ml oil/kg seed. Significant interaction among the genotypes was found. Maximum bruchid emergence was noted in ILC‐varieties. Oil treatment at 10 ml/kg seeds caused 100% germination inhibition in all the ILC‐genotypes.