scholarly journals Bruchid a Serious Pest on Pulse Crops: Its Control Measures and Breeding Advancements: A Review

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Ragul ◽  
N. Manivannan

Bruchid (Callosobruchus spp.) are the most destructive, notorious storage pest of pulses in the tropical and sub-tropical region. The yield losses are higher than half of the expected yield with in the short period of time. Bruchid initial infestation started in the field and shortly builds up during storage time and cause severe seed damage up to 100 per cent. Bruchid infestation ranges from 60 to 100% within two to three months of storage period. Among the different bruchid species, cowpea weevils (C. maculatus F.) and azuki bean weevils (Callosobruchus chinensis L.) are the most destructive storage pest of pulses. Though several options are now available to identify the elite genotypes against bruchid infestation, still the development of genotypes with sufficient level of host plant resistance is not achieved. In this pursuit, the present article has given a detailed review of the major species of bruchid, insect life style, management practices, screening technique, sources of resistance, novel breeding strategies and recent advancements including use of molecular markers in marker aided selection and QTL studies for bruchid resistance.

2011 ◽  
Vol 47 (4) ◽  
pp. 717-728 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. NEDUNCHEZHIYAN ◽  
S. K. JATA ◽  
R. C. RAY ◽  
R. S. MISRA

SUMMARYAmorphophallus paeoniifolius, popularly known as elephant foot yam, is an important tropical tuber crop in India. Its modified stem (corm) is consumed as a vegetable after boiling, baking or frying. Mealybug (Rhizoecus amorphophalli), a soft-bodied insect, infests the corms both in storage and in the field. Though pesticides are effective in controlling mealybugs, they can be hazardous to human health and the environment. Two experiments, one in storage followed by one in the field, were conducted during 2009 and 2010 at the Regional Centre of Central Tuber Crops Research Institute, Dumuduma, Bhubaneswar, India, to determine the effect of six low cost and environmentally safe management practices on mealybug. In the absence of mealybug control measures, mealybug numbers increased by 4–5 times during the storage period. The pest affected the quality of the corms and reduced subsequent field establishment and crop growth. Salt (NaCl) solution (1000 ppm), cow urine, cow dung slurry (2 kg of cow dung in 1 litre of water) and clay slurry (1 kg of clay in 1 litre of water) treatments were effective in reducing mealybug numbers and the associated corm damage. However, availability of cow urine, cow dung and clay slurry limit their usage. Common salt is cheap, widely available and easy to use in treating the corms prior to storage. Relative to untreated corms, those treated with salt solution recorded greater emergence when field planted as well as producing plants with more vigorous growth.


Author(s):  
Federica Alfani ◽  
Aslihan Arslan ◽  
Nancy McCarthy ◽  
Romina Cavatassi ◽  
Nicholas Sitko

Abstract This paper aims at identifying whether and how sustainable land management practices and livelihood diversification strategies have contributed to moderating the impacts of the El Niño-related drought in Zambia. This is done using a specifically designed survey called the El Niño Impact Assessment Survey, which is combined with the Rural Agricultural Livelihoods Surveys, as well as high resolution rainfall data at the ward level over 34 years. This unique panel data set allows us to control for the time-invariant unobserved heterogeneity to understand the impacts of shocks like El Niño, which are expected to become more frequent and severe as a result of climate change. We find that maize yields were substantially reduced and that household incomes were only partially protected from the shock thanks to diversification strategies. Mechanical erosion control measures and livestock diversification emerge as the only strategies that provided yield and income benefits under weather shock.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (15) ◽  
pp. 8460
Author(s):  
Armel Rouamba ◽  
Hussein Shimelis ◽  
Inoussa Drabo ◽  
Mark Laing ◽  
Prakash Gangashetty ◽  
...  

Pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) is a staple food crop in Burkina Faso that is widely grown in the Sahelian and Sudano-Sahelian zones, characterised by poor soil conditions and erratic rainfall, and high temperatures. The objective of this study was to document farmers’ perceptions of the prevailing constraints affecting pearl millet production and related approaches to manage the parasitic weeds S. hermonthica. The study was conducted in the Sahel, Sudano-Sahelian zones in the North, North Central, West Central, Central Plateau, and South Central of Burkina Faso. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire and focus group discussions involving 492 participant farmers. Recurrent drought, S. hermonthica infestation, shortage of labour, lack of fertilisers, lack of cash, and the use of low-yielding varieties were the main challenges hindering pearl millet production in the study areas. The majority of the respondents (40%) ranked S. hermonthica infestation as the primary constraint affecting pearl millet production. Respondent farmers reported yield losses of up to 80% due to S. hermonthica infestation. 61.4% of the respondents in the study areas had achieved a mean pearl millet yields of <1 t/ha. Poor access and the high cost of introduced seed, and a lack of farmers preferred traits in the existing introduced pearl millet varieties were the main reasons for their low adoption, as reported by 32% of respondents. S. hermonthica management options in pearl millet production fields included moisture conservation using terraces, manual hoeing, hand weeding, use of microplots locally referred to as ‘zaï’, crop rotation and mulching. These management techniques were ineffective because they do not suppress the below ground S. hermonthica seed, and they are difficult to implement. Integrated management practices employing breeding for S. hermonthica resistant varieties with the aforementioned control measures could offer a sustainable solution for S. hermonthica management and improved pearl millet productivity in Burkina Faso.


Weed Science ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-23
Author(s):  
Katherine M. Ghantous ◽  
Hilary A. Sandler

Abstract Applying control measures when carbohydrate levels are low can decrease the likelihood of plant survival, but little is known about the carbohydrate cycles of dewberry (Rubus spp.), a problematic weed group on cranberry farms. Weedy Rubus plants were collected from areas adjacent to production beds on commercial cranberry farms in Massachusetts, two locations per year for two years. For each site and year, four entire plants were collected at five phenological stages: budbreak, full leaf expansion, flowering, fruit maturity, and after onset of dormancy. Root sections were analyzed for total nonstructural carbohydrate (TNC; starch, sucrose, fructose, and glucose). Overall trends for all sites and years showed TNC were lowest at full leaf expansion or flowering; when sampled at dormancy, TNC concentrations were greater than or equal to those measured at budbreak. Starch, a carbohydrate form associated with long-term storage, had low levels at budbreak, leaf expansion and/or flowering with a significant increase at fruit maturity and the onset of dormancy, ending at levels higher than those found at budbreak. The concentration of soluble sugars, carbohydrate forms readily usable by plants, was highest at budbreak compared to the other four phenological samplings. Overall, our findings supported the hypothesis that TNC levels within the roots of weedy Rubus plants can be predicted based on different phenological growth stages in Massachusetts. However, recommendations for timing management practices cannot be based on TNC cycles alone; other factors such as temporal proximity to dormancy may also impact Rubus plants recovery and further research is warranted. Late-season damage should allow less time for plants to replenish carbohydrate reserves (prior to the onset of dormancy), thereby likely enhancing weed management tactics effectiveness over time. Future studies should consider tracking the relationship between environmental conditions, phenological stages, and carbohydrate trends.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Qing Cheng ◽  
Zeyi Liu ◽  
Guangquan Cheng ◽  
Jincai Huang

AbstractBeginning on December 31, 2019, the large-scale novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) emerged in China. Tracking and analysing the heterogeneity and effectiveness of cities’ prevention and control of the COVID-19 epidemic is essential to design and adjust epidemic prevention and control measures. The number of newly confirmed cases in 25 of China’s most-affected cities for the COVID-19 epidemic from January 11 to February 10 was collected. The heterogeneity and effectiveness of these 25 cities’ prevention and control measures for COVID-19 were analysed by using an estimated time-varying reproduction number method and a serial correlation method. The results showed that the effective reproduction number (R) in 25 cities showed a downward trend overall, but there was a significant difference in the R change trends among cities, indicating that there was heterogeneity in the spread and control of COVID-19 in cities. Moreover, the COVID-19 control in 21 of 25 cities was effective, and the risk of infection decreased because their R had dropped below 1 by February 10, 2020. In contrast, the cities of Wuhan, Tianmen, Ezhou and Enshi still had difficulty effectively controlling the COVID-19 epidemic in a short period of time because their R was greater than 1.


Author(s):  
Félicien Majoro ◽  
Umaru Garba Wali ◽  
Omar Munyaneza ◽  
François-Xavier Naramabuye ◽  
Concilie Mukamwambali

Soil erosion is an environmental concern that affects agriculture, wildlife and water bodies. Soil erosion can be avoided by maintaining a protective cover on the soil to create a barrier to the erosive agent or by modifying the landscape to control runoff amounts and rates. This research is focused on Sebeya catchment located in the Western Province of Rwanda. Sebeya catchment is one of the most affected areas by soil erosion hazards causing loss of crops due to the destruction of agricultural plots or riverbanks, river sedimentation and damages to the existing water treatment and hydropower plants in the downstream part of the river. The aims of this research were to assess the performance of erosion remediation measures and to propose the Best Management Practices (BMPs) for erosion control in Sebeya catchment. Using literature review, site visits, questionnaire and interviews, various erosion control measures were analyzed in terms of performance and suitability. Land slope and soil depth maps were generated using ArcGIS software. The interview results indicated that among the 22 existing soil erosion control measures, about 4.57% of farmers confirmed their existence while 95.43% expressed the need of their implementation in Sebeya catchment. Furthermore, economic constraints were found to be the main limitative factors against the implementation of soil erosion control measures in Sebeya catchment. Also, the majority of farmers suggest trainings and mobilization of a specialized technical team to assist them in implementing soil conservation measures and to generalize the application of fertilizers in the whole catchment. Finally, soil erosion control measures including agro-forestry, terraces, mulching, tree planting, contour bunds, vegetative measures for slopes and buffer zones, check dams, riverbanks stabilization were proposed and recommended to be implemented in Sebeya catchment. Keywords: Erosion control measures, Sebeya catchment, Rwanda


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer O. Han ◽  
Nicholas L. Naeger ◽  
Brandon K. Hopkins ◽  
David Sumerlin ◽  
Paul E. Stamets ◽  
...  

AbstractEntomopathogenic fungi show great promise as pesticides in terms of their relatively high target specificity, low non-target toxicity, and low residual effects in agricultural fields and the environment. However, they also frequently have characteristics that limit their use, especially concerning tolerances to temperature, ultraviolet radiation, or other abiotic factors. The devastating ectoparasite of honey bees, Varroa destructor, is susceptible to entomopathogenic fungi, but the relatively warm temperatures inside honey bee hives have prevented these fungi from becoming effective control measures. Using a combination of traditional selection and directed evolution techniques developed for this system, new strains of Metarhizium brunneum were created that survived, germinated, and grew better at bee hive temperatures (35 °C). Field tests with full-sized honey bee colonies confirmed that the new strain JH1078 is more virulent against Varroa mites and controls the pest comparable to current treatments. These results indicate that entomopathogenic fungi are evolutionarily labile and capable of playing a larger role in modern pest management practices.


1956 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-39 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. H. Castell ◽  
W. A. MacCallum ◽  
H. E. Power

A study has been made of some of the factors affecting the spoilage rate of fish in the trawlers at sea. It was found that two conditions were major causes of accelerated spoilage: (1) Treatments that resulted in very heavy initial contamination such as storing the fish directly against the slimy wooden pen boards, and (2) Treatments that resulted in a rise in the temperature of the fish. This latter may be a larger increase in temperature for a short period, such as exposure of the fish on the deck during warm summer weather, or a smaller increase over a longer period, such as results from inadequate or inefficient icing.Other types of carelessness and unsanitary conditions did not have any significant effect on the fish until at least 6 or 7 days, as long as they were well iced during the subsequent storage period in the hold.


Agronomy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 811
Author(s):  
Giuseppe Gianguzzi ◽  
Vittorio Farina ◽  
Paolo Inglese ◽  
Maria Gloria Lobo Rodrigo

The qualitative characteristics of mango fruits change throughout their development process and are also influenced by their duration. Harvesting at different times after the fruit set affects external and internal quality and the post-harvest behavior and management possibilities of the fruits. The objective of this study was to assess the evolution of the most important physicochemical and organoleptic parameters of cv. Osteen fruits concern the length of their stay on the plant and also to their post-harvest management. For this reason, fruits were harvested progressively in ten pickings. The study showed that mango fruits that are kept on the tree reach the best quality traits, corresponding to their physiological maturation. The length of the storage period needed to reach the consumption point varies greatly according to the harvesting moment and to the different environmental parameters, which also affect the organoleptic and physicochemical quality of the fruits. The number of days after full flowering were confirmed to be the primary information to consider when planning harvest with commercial use of the fruit, but interesting indications can be acquired through the definition of non-destructive (hardness, color) or destructive (dry matter) parameters. The data collected help improve mango fruit′s post-harvest management practices, to provide a product with constant quality and homogeneity to the consumer.


2007 ◽  
Vol 56 (8) ◽  
pp. 31-39 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.H. Ham ◽  
C.G. Yoon ◽  
K.W. Jung ◽  
J.H. Jang

Uncertainty in water quality model predictions is inevitably high due to natural stochasticity, model uncertainty, and parameter uncertainty. An integrated modelling system (modified-BASINS) under uncertainty is described and demonstrated for use in receiving-water quality prediction and watershed management. A Monte Carlo simulation was used to investigate the effect of various uncertainty types on output prediction. Without pollution control measures in the watershed, the concentrations of total nitrogen (T-N) and total phosphorus (T-P) in the Hwaong Reservoir, considering three uncertainty types, would be less than about 4.4 and 0.23 mg L−1, respectively, in 2012, with 90% confidence. The effects of two watershed management practices, wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) and constructed wetlands (WETLAND), were evaluated. The combined scenario (WWTP + WETLAND) was the most effective at improving reservoir water quality, bringing concentrations of T-N and T-P in the Hwaong Reservoir to less than 3.4 and 0.14 mg L−1, 24 and 41% improvements, respectively, with 90% confidence. Overall, the Monte Carlo simulation in the integrated modelling system was practical for estimating uncertainty and reliable in water quality prediction. The approach described here may allow decisions to be made based on the probability and level of risk, and its application is recommended.


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