SEASONAL DYNAMICS OF HELICOVERPA ARMIGERA (HUBNER) ON

CHICKPEA AND RELATIVE ABUNDANCE OF ITS LARVAL PARASITOID

CAMPOLETIS CHLORIDEAE IN CORRELATION WITH WEATHER
PARAMETERS

Rohit Malik1*, Rakesh Kumar2, C.S. Prasad3 and Rohit Rana4

1,3 & 4
Department of Entomology, SVP University of Agriculture and Technology,
Meerut, (U.P.)
2
Division of Entomology, IARI, New Delhi

Received-19.12.2015, Revised-30.12.2015

Abstract: The seasonal dynamics of Helicoverpa armigera and relative abundance of its larval parasitoid Campoletis
chlorideae assessed in chickpea ecosystem. The highest mean larval population of H. armigera 22.33 larvae per meter
length was observed during 13th standard week. When the maximum and minimum temperature, 27.88 0C and 16.170C,
respectively, and relative humidity 67.58 per cent and rainfall were 2.4 mm. Population growth of H. armigera was
positively correlated to temperature while non significant negative correlation was recorded with relative humidity.
However, C. chlorideae population build up has significant positive correlation with H. armigera population.

Keywords: larval parasitoid, Helicoverpa armigera, Campoletis chlorideae, ecosystem

INTRODUCTION In India, the extent of losses due to H. armigera, in

chickpea, is upto 27.9% in North West Plain Zone,

C hickpea (Cicer arietinum) is one of the most

important pulse crop in India. It is cultivated on
an area of 10.17 million ha with a production of 9.93
million tonnes, accounting for 30.9% and 39.9% of
total pulse area and production. The main chickpea
producing states are Andhra Pradesh (1235 kg/ha),
Punjab (1226 kg/ha), Bihar (1182 kg/ha), Gujarat
(1172 kg/ha) and West Bengal (1106 kg/ha) but in
Uttar Pradesh the productivity of chickpea is low i.e.
930 kg/ha than other states (Anonymous, 2014).
Various factors responsible for low production and
productivity of chickpea are; poor genetic based,
weeds, diseases and insects pests. Insect pests are the
main constraints which limit the production of
chickpea. Pod borer, Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner)
(Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is the most prominent
insect species that causes major economic damage to
this crop. It is highly polyphagous pest attacks over
182 plants species including both widely grown and
economically important crops as cotton, maize,
tobacco, pigeon pea, chickpea and tomato etc
(Gowda, 2005). The yield loss in chickpea due to
pod borer was reported as 10-60 per cent in normal
weather conditions, while it was 50-100 per cent in
favorable weather conditions, particularly in the
states where frequent rains and cloudy weather are
prevailing during the crop season. It is estimated that
H. armigera alone is responsible for losses over Rs.
35000 million annually in India despite heavy
pesticide inputs (Kumar and Kapur, 2003).
Interestingly, H. armigera alone accounts for the
consumption of half of the total pesticides used in
India for the protection of different crops
(Suryavanshi et al., 2008).
13.2% in North East Plain Zone, 24.3% in Central
Zone and 36.4% in South Zone (Lateef and Reed,
1983). The crop has been noted to suffer an
avoidable loss of 9 to 60% (Sithanantham et al.,
1983). In U.P. alone 15.3% of the chickpea crop,
worth Rs. 462.5 million, is lost annually due to H.
armigera attack (Lal et al., 1983). Whereas in
Karnataka and Delhi extent of loss due to this pest
reported about 17.2% and 28.5% respectively,
(Mishra and Saxena, 1981). Of late H. armigera has
assumed serious proportions leading to an array of
economical, political and social upheavals. 1987 and
1997 witnessed several farmer suicides in Andhra-
Pradesh due to H. armigera attack on cotton, so
much so that 1997-98 came to be known as
„Helicoverpa year’ (Gupta and Deshraj 2003).
There are several reports which showed that H.
armigera has developed resistance to all the major
insecticide classes and it has become increasingly
difficult to control its population in India
(Suryavanshi et al., 2008), because of a combined
effect of decreased sensitivity to acetyl
cholinesterase, higher levels of esterase, phosphates
and the expression of P-glycoprotein in resistance
larvae (Srinivas et al., 2004). On the other hand, H.
armigera assumed major pest status across number
of crops because of its high fecundity, migratory
behavior, high adaptation to various climatic
conditions. Although it attacks chickpea throughout
the crop growth, the damage caused during flowering
and pod formation stages results in substantial yield
loss. Thus, for the management of this pest
explorations are required to find out suitable tactics
by understanding its biology in relation to weather
parameters, which plays a vital role in population,

*Corresponding Author
________________________________________________
International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Advanced Vol. 1 (1) : 1-6. 2016
2 ROHIT MALIK, RAKESH KUMAR, C.S. PRASAD AND ROHIT RANA

build up of this pests and key natural enemies to
regulate its population below economic injury levels.
Biological control is one of the major components of
IPM. In nature many organisms are surviving by
feeding another insect. Predators, parasites and
disease causing micro-organisms of pests available in
abundance, maintain natural balance and reduce pest
incidence. Use of these naturally occurring living
organisms to check pest population is one of the
safest methods of pest management. Interestingly,
the ichneumonid Campoletis chlorideae is
arrhenotokous, idiobiont parasitoid species and
reported to be most effective bioagent of H armigera
on chickpea in India. Currently, implementations are
being made on use of C. chlorideae to control H.
armigera population on chickpea (Pandey et al.,
2006).

25

20

15

LARVAL POPULATION
10 Campoletis chlorideae

0
49 50 51 52 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

Fig. 1. Population fluctuation of Helicoverpa armigera larvae and natural enemy on chickpea during 2014-15

Mean larval population/10 plants Rainfall (mm)

Max.Temp.°C Min.Temp. °C
Relative humidity (%)
140 25
Max.Temp. C Min.Temp. C Relative

Mean larval population, Rainfall (mm)

120
20
100
80 15
humidity (%)

60 10
40
5
20
0 0
46 47 48 49 50 51 52 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

Standard week

Figure-1. Seasonal incidence of H. armigera (Hub.) in chick pea

In order to overcome problems created by involves the use of many techniques, including
indiscriminate use of insecticides integrated pest biological control, to provide effective control of
management (IPM) strategies are very useful. IPM crop pests with minimum harmful side effects. Those
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MULTIDICIPLINARY RESEARCH AND ADVANCED VOL. 1 (1)
techniques which are compatible with the use of
biological control or have little impact on natural
enemies are biorational pesticides. Knowledge of
population dynamics in the context of associated
environment is must to make IPM strategies
successful. It is therefore, studies on population
dynamics and natural enemies of H. armigera are the
urgent need.
Though, the results from the recent plant protection
research are encouraging, there is still need to further
strengthen the IPM area through both basic as well as
applied research to overcome the ill effects of
chemical plant protection (Ranga Rao et al., 2004).
Hence, the present studies were carried out to
generate information on the role of weather
parameters on the population dynamics of pod borer
(H. armigera ) and its larval parasitoid Campoletis
chlorideae in chickpea ecosystem.
MATERIAL AND METHOD
The present investigations were carried out at Bio-
control Laboratory, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
University of Agriculture and Technology, Meerut-
250110 (U.P.) India during Rabi season of 2014-15.
Meerut is situated between 29º 01N latitude and 77º
45E longitude at an altitude of 237 meters above the
mean sea level. The general climate of this district is
semi-arid and sub-tropical characterized by very hot
summer and cold winters. The chickpea seeds of
variety „Sadhbhavna‟ was sown with three
replications and eight treatments having plots size 5
x 4 m2 with row spacing 30 cm and plant to plant
distance was 15 cm. Larval population of H.
armigera present on the chickpea was recorded in the
morning hours at weekly intervals and started from
15 days after sowing (DAS) to harvest of crop from
10 randomly selected plants. H. armigera
collected in each week kept at room
temperature individually in plastic vials measuring
45 x 25 mm2 in the bio-control laboratory for rearing
them up to adult stage. Natural enemies emerged
from these larvae were identified and . The
meteorological data were recorded during the
experimental period rabi season 2014-15 based on
the observation made at the meteorological
observation of the Department of Soil Science,
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture
and Technology, Meerut-250110 (U.P.).
Relationship between number of larvae and
meteorological variables was worked out using
simple correlation analysis. Simple correlation
coefficient analysis was done using the following
formula-
3
( X 1 )( Y1 )
 XY 
r
X 1Y1  N
( X 1 ) 2
2 (  Y1 )
2
[ X 1  ][ Y1
2
]
n n
Where,
r
X1Y1 = Simple correlation coefficient
X1 = Number of larvae
Y1 = Meteorological parameter
n = Number of observation
RESULT AND DISCUSSION
Seasonal incidence of H. armigera
The data on larval population of H. armigera during
Rabi 2014-15 has been presented on (table -1) and
(fig-1). It is evident from the table that the larval
activity continued throughout the crop season. The
scanty larval population 0.66 mean larval
population/ plant was, first from 11th December to
7th January (49th to 52th standard weeks) at prevailing
maximum and minimum temperature, 15.420C and
05.920C respectively, relative humidity 74.92 per
cent and rainfall were 3.4 mm increased significantly
up to 19th March to 22th April (11th to 15th standard
weeks) during the year 2014-15. The highest mean
larval population 22.33 larvae per meter length was
observed during 13th standard week. When the
maximum and minimum temperature, 27.88 0C and
16.170C, respectively, relative humidity 67.58 per
cent and rainfall were 2.4 mm. However, after
attaining highest peak population during 13 th standard
week population started to decline gradually.
Findings of Verma et al. (2014) also corroborate
findings of this study that the larval activity
continued throughout the crop season within two
peaks 47th to 50th standard week and second 10-14
standard week. Borah and Dutta. (2004) also
reported that the larval population first appeared in
January and remained until April and peak
population density was observed in April.
Interestingly, population dynamics of H. armigera
was positively correlated with minimum (0.894) and
maximum (0.747) temperatures, respectively during
Rabi season 2014-15. However, it was negatively
correlated (−0.385) with relative humidity while,
rainfall had a positive correlation (0.223) with larval
population during crop season i.e. Rabi, 2014-15
(Table-2). Present findings are in conformity of
findings of earlier worker Shinde, et al. (2014) who
reported that larval population showed a positive
correlation with minimum and maximum
temperature however it shows negative correlation
with relative humidity.
4 ROHIT MALIK, RAKESH KUMAR, C.S. PRASAD AND ROHIT RANA

Table 1. Seasonal incidence of H. armigera (Hub.) in chick pea

S.W. Date Mean larval Weather parameters
1 Dec.26 Apr. population/10
plants Temperature °C Relative Rainfall
humidity (mm)
Max. Min. (%)
46 Nov,20-26 0.00 25.92 8.85 61.21 0.0
47 Nov, 27-Dec,3 0.00 28.21 10.57 58.07 0.0

48 Dec,04-10 0.00 26.07 7.42 56.92 0.0

49 Dec,11-17 0.00 19.57 8.00 68.56 0.0
50 Dec,18-24 0.66 15.42 5.92 74.92 3.4
51 Dec,25-31 1.00 18.5 5.78 72.00 0.0
52 Jan,1-7 1.33 16.42 9.88 85.35 0.0
1 Jan,8-14 2.00 15 7.21 83.21 2.2
2 Jan,15-21 2.66 16.9 7.64 82.56 1.0
3 Jan,22-28 4.00 16.68 9.44 85.78 0.0
4 Jan, 29-Feb,4 5.33 19.85 7.88 72.28 1.5
5 Feb,5-11 5.66 23.2 7.07 70.42 0.0
6 Feb,12-18 7.33 24.31 9.37 69.06 0.0
7 Feb,19-25 8.33 26.97 14.84 68.92 0.0
8 Feb, 26-Mar,4 10.00 22.07 12.55 81.07 0.1
9 Mar,5-11 12.33 24.54 10.21 61.34 11.72
10 Mar,12-18 14.00 26.42 13.78 70.64 2.91
11 Mar,19-25 16.66 30.3 15.91 65.99 0
12 Mar, 26-April,1 18.66 31.96 17.57 72.23 0
13 April,2-8 22.33 27.88 16.17 67.58 2.4
14 April,9-15 21.00 31.57 18.21 61.28 3.77
15 April,16-22 19.33 37.15 20.41 46.43 0.34
16 April,23-29 18.00 35.82 19.64 53 0

Table-2. Correlation co-efficient of mean larval population with Abiotic factors

Abiotic factors Temperature 0C Relative Rain fall
Min. Max. humidity (%) (m.m.)
Mean larval population
0.894 0.747 -0.385 0.223
2014-15

Population fluctuation of larval / Natural enemy
Campoletis chlorideae of Helicoverpa armigera
The data on population fluctuation of Helicoverpa
armigera was recorded from 49th metrological week
(SW) to 14th metrological week (SW) on randomly
selected 10 plants and summarized in (fig.-1). The
first appearance of Helicoverpa armigera was in 52nd
metrological week (SW) on chickpea crop and
overall population kept on increasing until it reach 5
larvae/10 plants during the crop season. Whereas
maximum population 21 larvae/plant was observed
in 5th metrological week (SW), after 52nd
metrological week (SW) the population started
increased during the 1st SW to 6th SW. After that the
population of Helicoverpa armigera then started to
decline and were recorded 14 larvae/ 10 plants
during 7th SW to 10th SW. and its second peak (19
larvae/10 plants) was recorded in 12th SW before
decline again in the following week (10 larvae/ 10
plants). It indicate that Helicoverpa armigera was
active during 52nd SW to 14th SW. Data presented in
(fig.-2). Runechit (2005) also found the similar
pattern of population fluctuation of insects
(Helicoverpa armigera and Spodoptera litura) and
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MULTIDICIPLINARY RESEARCH AND ADVANCED VOL. 1 (1)
their natural enemies. Natural enemy Campoletis
chlorideae first appeared on chickpea on 24 January
2015 i.e. 3rd metrological week (SW). It disappeared
in 5th SW but reappeared again in 6th SW. Its density
gradually increased in the subsequent weeks and
peaked 6 individual/10 plants recorded on 10 th SW.
The density of natural enemies declined after-wards
and disappeared in 14th Metrological week (SW). A
significant positive correlation among the number of
larvae of Helicoverpa armigera and natural enemy
(Campoletis chlorideae) on randomly selected 10
plants. The correlation coefficient of larval
population with Campoletis chlorideae was 0.543.
Kaur, et al. (2000) and Sunanda and Reena (2010)
also observed that C. chlorideae was active
throughout the crop season.
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