By:

MUHAMMAD IRFAN
M.Sc. (Entomology)
Department of Entomology
Faculty of Crop Protection
Sindh Agriculture University, Tandojam
Cell Phone: +923048458123
Email: Muhammadirfansau@gmail.com

RESEARCH PROPOSAL
TITLE: RELATIVE POPULATION OF JASSID AMARASCA BIGUTTULA
BIGUTTULA (ISHIDA) ON OKRA VARIETIES

Justification/Introduction:

Okra Abelmoschus esculentus L., is number of family Malvaceae. In Pakistan, Okra

is the most important traditional/ popular vegetable being cultivated in kharif seasons on large

scale. The Okrais susceptible to insect pests that reduce its production (Gallun et al, 2014). In

Pakistan, its production is exclusively handled by the small-scale farmers, while its economic

importance is well established in internal trade. Okra crop is summer season crop all over the

world. For growing of okra crop well drained sandy to clay soils are good, and soil pH ranges from

6.0 to 6.8 are the best for okra cultivation (Dikwahal et al., 2006). Okra is not resistant to cold

andfrost. This crop is cultivated in kharif season. . Okra flowers drop at 42C day temperature.

Uniform day and night temperature levels are preferred by okra, wide difference between day and

night temperatures reduces the seed yield greatly (Khan, 2002). The okra crop is infested by a

number of insect pests like Amrasca biguttula biguttula, Earias vittella, Bemisia tabaci,

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Helicoverpa armigera, Thrips tabaci, Aphis gossypii, Acrocercops bifasciata, and Nezara viridula

(Dubey et al., 1999). Among them jassid is very

harmful in the hot and humid areas, because of the favorable conditions for development of host

and pest, whole year. Jassid has become serious insect pest of all vegetables, as well as of other

agronomic crops, and ornamental plants. This jassid is injouris sucking insects of okra vegetable

crop (Kakar and Dobra, 2001; Singh et al., 2003; Dhandapani et al., 2003). A. biguttula biguttula

is the most serious not only in Pakistan (Mahmood et al., 1990) but also in India (Kumar and

Singh, 2002). Okra received the maximum number of leaf hopper eggs and is the most suitable

host for the survival and feeding of its nymph (Hussain et al., 2005; Bindra and Mahal, 2006).

Rawat and Sadu (2009) propose that due to the attack of jassids. The seed-yield, plant-height,

number of fruits/ plant, fruit length and 100-seed-weight has an inverse relationship with the jassid

population, which had reduced them. The seed-yield decreased by 0.396 g, with every unit increase

in cicadellid population (Mahal et al., 2004). With the ecological responsive pest management

approach, of different okra plants to jassid isessential.

The okra Leaf hopper has become a serious pest of agronomic crops, vegetables

and ornamental plants. It is the most destructive amongst sucking insect pests attacking the okra

crop (Singh et al., 2015). Okra is the most suitable host for survival and feeding to its nymph

(Sharma and Singh, 2012). The damage caused by Amrasca biguttula biguttula starts from young

seedling to the mature crop resulting in 50% yield loss (Bindra and Mahal, 2010). Jassid s attack

causes the reduction in plant height and number of leaves up-to 49.8% and 45.1%, respectively

(Rawat and Sadu, 2013) Excessive feeding damage the phloem tubes and causes disease, hopper

burn (phytotoxemia) the main symptom of jassid attack. Damage leaves develop brown and curl

at the edges, stunted growth and unable to produce flowers and fruits and fall off leaves. The

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population build-up on variety of host plants are tools for damage potential (Uthamasamy, 2014).

The pest usually rests under side of the leaves during day hours.The female lays eggs singly

inside the prominent veins of full-grown leaves and eggs hatch in about four days.

Both adults and nymphs cause damage to cotton leaves plant sap and inject toxic saliva into plant

tissues. Due to that the edges of leaves become crinkling, which is the characteristic feature of

jassid attack (Halcomb et al. 2010). Keeping facts state above, the present study was conducted to

the study on relative population of jassid on durga and resham varieties of okra with following

objectives.

Objectives of the study:

i. To evaluate the jassid population associated with okra varieties

ii. To study about the impact of abiotic factors on the population of jassid on okra varieties

Methodology Proposed:

The study will be conducted at Village Shahpur darpur near Tandojam during 2016

to study the relative population of jassid Amarasca biguttula biguttula (Ishida) on varieties of okra.

The seeds of okra varieties (Sabzpari, Resham, Red Okra and Durga) will be planted in a micro

plot measuring 5m x 3m with spacing of 15 cm between plants and 45 cm spacing between rows.

All the agronomic practices will be done to ensure good germination and crop stand. The

observations will be started when the crop will be about one month of age; and weekly observation

will be recorded. The total observation period will be comprised of 5 leaves. Whole plant will be

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observed for recording of pest population. The jassids population will be carefully counted with

the help of naked eye. No pesticide will be applied. To determine the correlation and regression

analysis on A. biguttula biguttula population vis--vis abiotic factors, meteorological data

(minimum and maximum) temperature and relative humidity will be recorded on every

observation. The population count of jassids will be recorded up to the maturity of the crop.

Finally, the collected data was computed and analyzed by using Statistix version 8.1.

REFERENCES

Bindra, O.S. and M.S. Mahal. 2010. Varietal resistance in egg plant (brinjal) (Solanum melongena)
to the cotton jassid (Amrasca biguttula biguttula) Phytoparasitica.9 (4):119-131.

Dhandapani, N., U. R. Shelkar and M. Murugan: 2003: Bio-intensive pest management (BIPM) in
major vegetable crops: an Indian perspective Food Agric and Envir 2: 333-339.

Dikwahal H. D., P. T. Hoggai and L. Aliyu. 2006. Effects of sowing date and plant population
desity on growth and yield of two akra (Abelmoshcus esculentus L) varieties in the
northern guinea savanna of Nigeria." Nigerian Journal of Horticultural
Science 11(1): 56-62.

Dubey V.K., K. Bhaga and Y.K Yadu. 1999. Insect pest succession studies on okra. J. appl. Zool.
Res 10: 144-145.

Gallun, R.L., K.J. Starks and W.D. Guthrie. 2014. Plant resistance to insects attacking cereals.
Annu. Rev. Entomol 20 (2): 337-34

Halcomb, K. L., J. H. Benedict, B. Cook and D. R. Ring. 2010. Survival and growth of bollworm and
tobacco budworm on non-transgenic and transgenic cotton expressing a cry 1A
insecticidal protein (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Environ Entomol 25: 250-255.

Hussain, N., S. Khan and L. S. Mian 2005. Biology of cotton jassid Amrasca devastans in relation
to different host plants. J. Sci. Techn 3(1-2): 21-24.

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Kakar, K. L. and G. S. Dobra 2001. Insect-pests of okra, Abelmoschus esculentus (Linn.) Monech.
And their control under mid-hill conditions. J. Insect Sci 1(2): 195-198.

Khan Fa, Din, Ju, Ghaffoor A, Khan Kw(2002). Evaluation of different cultivars of okra
(Abelmoschus esculentus L.) under the Agroclimatic conditions of Dera Ismail
Khan. Asian J. Plant Sci 1(6):663- 664.

Mahal, M. S., H. Lal and R. Singh 2004. Standardisation of technique for screening okra
germplasm for resistance against cotton jassid, A. biguttula biguttula (Ishida) I.
Development and survival of nymphs. J. Insect Sci 4(2): 135-137.

Mahmood, T. K. M. Khokar, M. Banaras and M. Ashraf, 1990. Effect of environmental

factors on the density of leaf hopper , Amrasca devastans (Distant) on
okra Trop Pest Manage 36: 279-284.

Rawat, R. R. and H. R. Sadu, 2009. Estimation of losses in growth and yield of okra due
to Empoasca devastans (dist.) and Erias spp. Indian J. Ent 35: 252-254.

Rawat, R.R. and H.R. Sadu. 2013. Estimation of losses in growth and yield of okra due to Emrasca
devastancs (dist.) and Erias spp Indian J Entomol 35 (4) :252-254.

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 AN ABSTRACT OF THE THESIS OF

MUHAMMAD IRFAN For MASTER OF SCIENCE (AGRI.) HONOURS

Major ENTOMOLOGY

TITLE: RELATIVE POPULATION OF JASSID AMARASCA BIGUTTULA

BIGUTTULA (ISHIDA) ON OKRA VARIETIES.

The study was carried out during the year 2016 to study the relative population of
jassid Amarasca biguttula biguttula (Ishida) on varieties of okra conducted at
Village Shahpur Darpur near Tandojam.

Jassid population was significantly higher (6.505.13/plant) on variety Red Okra,

while the insect population was slightly lower (6.334.77/plant) on variety Durga
and 5.744.21/plant on variety Resham. However, the lowest jassid population of
5.584.52/plant was recorded on variety Sabzpari. This showed that among tested
okra varieties, Sabzpari showed relative resistance to jassid with lowest population
more than Resham, Durga and Red Okra. The LSD test suggested that the differences
in jassid population on okra varieties Resham, Red Okra and Durga were statistically
non-significant (P>0.05), while significant (P<0.05) when compared with variety
Sabzpari. The weekly population of jassid fluctuated significantly (P<0.05) and the
results indicated that at first observation on 26th June, the jassid population was
3.85/plant, gradually increased and reaching its peak population of 16.21/plant on
24th July observation. Later, the jassid population started decreasing from 31 st July
and reached to its lowest population (1.11/plant) on 4th September. After this lowest
infestation, the jassid population again started increasing slightly and remained in
the field regularly upto the end of the observation period. The variety x observation
date interaction indicated that the jassid population was highest (18.71/plant) in
variety Red okra when observed on 24th July; while lowest (1.09/plant) in variety
Sabzpari on 4th September.