Insect Ecology, Integrated Pest Management & Beneficial Insects

Insect Ecology: Introduction, Environment and its components. Effect of abiotic factors-
temperature, moisture, humidity, rainfall light, atmospheric pressure and air currents. Effect of
biotic factors- food competition, natural and environmental resistance and Concept of Balance of
life in nature, biotic potential and environmental resistance and causes for out break of pests in
agro-ecosystem. Pest surveillance and pest forecasting. Categories of pests. IPM; Introduction,
importance, concept, principles and tools of
IPM – Host plant resistance, Cultural, Mechanical, Physical, Legislative, Biological (parasites,
predators & transgenic plant pathogens such as bacteria, fungi and viruses), methods of control.
Chemical control –importance, hazards and limitations. Classification of insecticides, toxicity of
insecticides and formulations of insecticides. Study of important insecticides. Botanical
insecticides – neem based products, Cyclodiens, Organophosphates, Carbamates, Synthetic
pyrethroids, Novel insecticides,
Pheromones, Nicotinyl insecticides, Chitin synthesis inhibitors, Phenyl pyrazoles, Avermectins,
Macrocyclic lactones, Oxadiazimes, Thiourea derivaties, pyridine azomethines, pyrroles etc.
Nematicides, Rodenticides, Acaricides and fumigants. Recent methods of pest control. Practices,
scope and limitations of IPM. Insecticides Act 1968 – Important provisions. Application
techniques of spray fluids. Phytotoxicity of insecticides.
Symptoms of poisoning, first aid and antidotes. Beneficial insects: parasites and predators used
in pest control and their mass multiplication techniques.
Important groups of microorganisms, bacteria, viruses and fungi used in pest control and their
mass multiplication techniques. Important species of pollinators, weed killers and scavengers -
their importance. Non insect pests – mites, nematodes, rodents and birds. Vermiculture

Insect Morphology and Systematic

History of Entomology in India. Factors for insect abundance. Classification of phylum
Arhropoda upto classes. Relationship of class Insecta with other classes of Arthropoda.
Morphology: Structure and functions of insect cuticle and moulting. Body segmentation.
Structure of Head, thorax and abdomen. Structure and modifications of insect antennae, mouth
parts and legs. Wing venation, modifications and wing coupling apparatus. Structure male and
female genitalia. Sensory organs. Metamorphosis and diapause in insects. Types of larvae and
pupae. Structure and functions of digestive, circulatory, excretory, respiratory, nervous, secretory
(Endocrine) and reproductive system in insect. Types of reproduction in insects.
Systematics: Taxonomy-importance, history and development and binomial nomenclature.
Definitions of Biotype, Sub-species, Species, Genus, Family and Order. Classification of class
Insecta -- Acrididae, Dictyoptera- Mantidae, Odonata, Isoptera- Termitidae, Thysanoptera-
Thripidae, Hemiptera- Pentatomidae, Coreidae, Reduviidae, Pyrrhocoridae, Cicadellidae,
Delphacidae, Aphididae, Coccidae, Aleurodidae, Neuroptera- Chrysopidae Lepidoptera-
Noctuidae, Sphingidae, Pyralidae, Gelechiidae, Arctiidae,Coleoptera-Coccinellidae,
Chrysomelidae, Cerambycidae, Curculionidae, Bruchidae, Scarabaeidae, Hymenoptera-
Tenthridinidae, Apidae, Trichogrammatidae, Ichneumonida, Braconidae, Diptera-
Cecidomyiidae, Trypetidae, Tachinidae, Agromyzidae.

Crop pests and Management – I

Distribution, biology, nature and symptoms of damage and management strategies of following
crop pests :

Cereals : Rice - Gall midge, Stem borer, Leaf and plant hoppers, Leaf folder, Case worm, Army
worm, Swarming caterpillar, Gundhi bug.
Wheat : Stem borer, Termites.
Sorghum & Maize :-Stem borer, Sorghum shoot fly.

Pulses : Urid, Moong :- Pea pod borer, Red hairy caterpillar

Soybean :- Girdle beetle, Stem fly, Hairy caterpillars.

Pigeonpea :- Pod borer, Pod fly, Plume moth, Pod bug.

Gram : Pod borer, Cut worm.

Pea : Aphid, Pod borer

Lathyrus: Thrips

Oilseeds: Groundnut :- Aphid, Leaf miner, White grub, Red hairy caterpillar.

Sesamum : Gall fly, Hawk moth, Leaf webber & pod borer

Castor : Castor semi looper, Capsule borer, Tussock hairy caterpillar.

Linseed :- Bud fly, Linseed caterpillar, Thrips, Jassids.

Safflower : Aphid, Bud fly.

Sun flower & Niger :Bihar hairy caterpillar.

Mustard : Aphid, Sawfly, Painted bug.

Fibre crop : Cotton : Boll worms, Jassid, Red cotton bug, White fly, Aphids.

Sunnhemp : Sunnhemp hairy caterpillar

Mesta : Spiral borer of Mesta.

Cash crops : Sugarcane : Top shoot borer, stem borer, sugarcane leaf hopper, whitefly, Mealy
bug, Termite

Crop Pests and Management – II

Vegetables :- Okhra :- Shoot and fruit borer, Jassid, Whitefly.

Brinjal : Shoot and fruit borer, Stem borer, Mite.

Chilly : Thrips, Fruit borer.

Sweet potato : Sweet potato weevil.

Moringa : Blossom midge, Bud worm.

Cucurbitaceous Red pumpkin beetle, Fruit fly, Vine Vegetables : borer.

Potato : Tuber moth, Aphid, Cut worm

Ginger : Shoot borer, Fly maggot, Rhizome scale.

Cruciferous: Cabbage semi looper, Diamond back moth, Leaf webber, Cabbage borer

Tomato : Fruit borer, Leaf miner, Stem borer

Onion & Garlic :Thrips, Tobacco caterpillar, Onion fly.

Coriander : Aphid, White fly, Flower stink bug.

Fruits : Banana : Rhizome weevil, Stem borer

Gauva : Bark borer, Oriental fruit fly.

Pomegranate : Anar butterfly, Fruit fly.

Cashew : Tea mosquito bug, cashew stem and root borer.

Sapota : Leaf webber, Fruit fly

Mango: Inflorescence midge, Mango shoot, gall psylla, Mango hopper, Mealy bug, Stone weevil,
Stem borer

Citrus : Lemon butter fly Citrus psylla, Fruit sucking moth, Whitefly, Leaf miner.

Papaya : Fruit fly, Aphid, White fly, Mite.

Ber : Ber fruit fly

Litchi : Litchi bug, Leaf roller, White fly, Black hussain fly, Mite

Tamarind : Fruit borers, Mealy bug, Scale insect.

Stored grain pests : Pulse beetle, Rice weevil, Grain moth, Red rust flour beetle, Khapra beetle,
Lesser grain borer-their biology, damage, preventive and curative methods of control.