Insect fauna associated with small millets in mid hills of Uttarakhand

Abstract

India is the largest producer of small millets, which are often referred to as coarse cereals. Various biotic variables significantly affect the output and productivity of these small millets and among them, insect pests are major production barriers that cause high crop losses from sowing to crop harvesting. Although the current status of all the pests affecting small millet crops in Uttarakhand is unknown but shoot fly and stem borer have been identified as major pests of small millets in mid hills of Uttarakhand. Major small millets growing areas as well as various trials conducted under AICRP on Small Millets at Ranichauri Centre, VCSG UUHF, Bharsar, Uttarakhand were surveyed at different crop stages in ten different locations during Kharif- 2019 and Kharif- 2020 to ascertain the status of insect fauna associated with the small millets. A total of sixteen species of insect pests damaging small millets from seedling stage to harvesting were reported. During survey, it was found that shoot fly caused infestation during early crop stage while stem borer induced infestation was noticed during the later crop stage. Shoot fly infestation contributed to stunted crop growth and side tillering with dead heart structure with potential to inflict damage up to 36.67 percent in state varieties of barnyard millet when control measures were not intervened at Gaja farm while stem borer infestation produced white ear heads and stem tunneling with maximum infestation of 33.33 percent in finger millet at Gaja farm and 20.00 percent infestation in barnyard millet at Gunogi village. Grasshopper caused infestation was in the range of 13.33 to 26.67 percent and 13.33 to 33.33 percent and aphid infestation ranged between 10.00 to 20.83 percent and 6.67 to 20.00 percent in finger millet and barnyard millet, respectively at different locations. The flea beetle, semilooper, chaffer beetle, sting bug and other pests were also reported in surveyed small millet crops as occasional occurrence. The present study thus contributed in the data available on insect fauna associated with small millets, major insect pests causing damage from seedling to harvesting stage along with average per cent infestation and their respective nature of damage and damaging stage in mid hills of Uttarakhand.