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High Yielding Rice Cultivars, High Rainfall and High Humidity Favour Nymphula depunctalis (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) to Reach Major Pest Status: A Study in Dhemaji District, Assam

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Abstract

Present study was designed to determine the pest status of rice caseworm, Nymphula depunctalis Guénee, an early vegetative pest of Oryza sativa L. in Dhemaji district, Assam. For this, grain yield loss was assessed in 13 cultivars of O. sativa used by the farmer’s of Dhemaji district, Assam and the population density of larvae of N. depunctalis was estimated in 10 paddy fields of the farmer’s to test whether the population density of N. depunctalis was above economic threshold level or not. The study revealed that N. depunctalis is able to cause significant loss in grain yield and the density of the pest was above economic threshold level in most of the rice fields of the district. Therefore, N. depunctalis can be considered as a major pest in the region which needs proper management. Study of population density of larvae of N. depunctalis in 13 cultivars of O. sativa showed that high yielding cultivars were more susceptible to N. depunctalis infestation. Besides, rainfall and humidity also showed significant positive correlation with the density of larvae of N. depunctalis. Thus the high yielding cultivars in the farmer’s field condition and the high rainfall and high humidity of the region favoured N. depunctalis to reach major pest status.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Zoology, Rajiv Gandhi University, Itanagar, 791112, India

    Hiren Gogoi

  2. Department of Life Sciences, Dibrugarh University, Dibrugarh, 786004, Assam, India

    Dipsikha Bora

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  1. Hiren Gogoi
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  2. Dipsikha Bora
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Correspondence to Hiren Gogoi.

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Gogoi, H., Bora, D. High Yielding Rice Cultivars, High Rainfall and High Humidity Favour Nymphula depunctalis (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) to Reach Major Pest Status: A Study in Dhemaji District, Assam. Natl. Acad. Sci. Lett. 36, 469–475 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40009-013-0159-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40009-013-0159-6

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