NON-CHEMICAL APPROACHES FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF ...

2. REVIEW OF LITERATURE
2.1 Management of shoot fly through seed treatment with organics
The systemic action of neem against insects is well known (Gill and Lewis, 1971 and
Hyde et al., 1984). So, seed treatment can be useful in pest management.
Mote et al. (1982) reported that incidence of shoot fly A. soccata in sorghum was reduced
in the seed treatment with Azotobactor inoculum but was not as effective as carbofuran treatment.
The grain yield was higher from seed treated with carbofuran and Azotobactor individually and in
combination. Mohan et al. (1987) reported that Azospirillum seed treatment has greater impact in
imparting resistance towards shoot fly in sorghum.
Kareem et al. (1989) carried out experiment on neem as seed treatment for rice before
sowing to study its effect on BPH and GLH. As compared with treated seed, fewer first instar
Nephotettix virescens (Distant) nymphs reached the adult stage on rice raised from seeds treated
before sowing with >2.5 per cent neem kernel extract or with 2 per cent neem cake. Likewise,
fewer Nilparvata lugens (Stal) nymphs became adults in treatment with neem extracts.
Treatments affected neither germination nor root length, shoot length or chlorophyll content.
Application of bioinoculants like Azospillum and Azotobactor as seed treatment are newly
emerging trends which can be utilized in integrated control for suppressing insect pests of
sorghum and pearl millet (Kishore, 2000)
Okra seed treatment with neem oil at 8 ml per kg seeds recorded least per cent fruit
damage (68.82) followed by neem cake application at 2 q/acre (73.06), Gauch 600 FS 12 ml/kg
(74.34) and thiamethoxam 70 WS @ 10 g/kg (76.00) as reported by Praveen, (2005).
2.2 Determination of critical stage of management of shoot fly
through botanicals
Botanicals are safer and cost effective alternatives to manage insect pests. Studies
carried out by scientists on effectivity of botanicals against shoot fly and other pests of sorghum
and related crops are reviewed. However, there is absolutely no work on determination of critical
stage of application of botanicals for insect pest management.
2.2.1 Bioefficacy of plant products against shoot fly
Kareem et al. (1974) reported that the antifeedants fentine acetate and fentine hydroxide
and extracts of kernel of neem seed (Azadirachta indica A. Juss) sprays of which were less
effective than the insecticides against sorghum shoot fly.
Larvae of Chilo partellus swinhoe when fed on leaves treated with aqueous extracts of
neem seed kernel produced larval pupal intermediates and deformed adults. (Anonymous, 1979).
Narasimhan and Mariappan (1988) studied the effects of leaf extracts of Vitex negundo
L., Croton sparsiflorus Narong, bilwa Aegle marmalos Coor, sweet tulsi Ocimum sanctum L. and
ikshugandha Tribules terestris L. in water and seed oils of neem. A. indica, Laural Callophyllium
inophyllum L. Mahua Madhuca longifolia Koen. Custard apple Annona squamosa Linn. Crude
seed extracts of neem on green leaf hoppers in paddy. Results revealed that seed oils gave
higher GLH mortality than leaf extracts and highest mortality was given by neem oil.
There was reduction in feeding by GLH in rice plants treated with foliar or systemic
application of neem seed bitters (NSB) (Saxena and Boncodin, 1988).
The laboratory studies on potential of neem oil (A. indica), Karanj oil (Pongamia. pinnata),
castor oil Ricinus communis L. and Mahua oil (Madhuca longifolia) @ 5, 10 and 20 per cent
concentrations revealed that neem and karanj oils were highly effective in reducing feeding
activity and the survival of C. partellus larvae. Neem oil at 20 per cent acted as oviposition
deterrent and reduced the egg laying to a greater extent on the treated surface (Sharma and
Bhatnagar, 1990).
Leaf extracts of Parthenium hysterophores L., Vinca rosea L., Solanum xantho cappum
L., Cyperus rotundus L. and Cynodon dactylon (L.) pers. showed antifeedant property against
larvae of Amsacta albistriga walker as reported by Dhandapani et al. (1985).