Effect of insecticides on biodiversity of aphidophagous syrphid flies in fruit ecosystem of Kashmir

Abstract

The effect of insecticides on biodiversity of aphidophagous syrphid flies were studied in managed/sprayed (where spray schedule fallowed) and unmanaged/unsprayed (where spray schedule not fallowed) fruit orchards of apple, pear and peach of Kashmir. Out of 1237 individual of syrphid flies, 66.29% was recorded from unsprayed and 34.71% from sprayed fruit orchards during 2013 while out of 1404 individual of syrphid flies, 71.22% were recorded from unsprayed and 28.78% from sprayed fruit of Kashmir during 2014. In fruit ecosystem, out of 19 species, highest population of Eristalis tenax followed by Eoseristalis cerealis were recorded in unsprayed fruit orchards which was also high in sprayed but the percentages were decline in sprayed fruit orchards of Kashmir during both years. Distribution of syrphid flies was recorded highest in unsprayed fruit orchards as compared to insecticidal sprayed fruit orchards caused of the adverse impact on syrphid flies population and its abundance. The sprayed fruit orchards exhibited poor species diversity and less distribution of syrphid flies in fruit ecosystem of Kashmir.