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K. R. Ramesh , Meena Thakur , Sapna Mahajan , H. P. Sankyan

Abstract

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Meena Thakur ¹, C. L. Dinabandhooc ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Entomology and Apiculture, Dr. Y. S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan, 173 230, Himachal Pradesh, IN

Abstract

Survey was conducted during 1999-2001 in different parts of temperate and sub-tropical zones of Himachal Pradesh. During the surveys ten species of predatory mites, viz, Euseius finiandicus Oudemnas, Neoseiulus longispinosus Evans, Phytoseius crinitus Swirski & Shechter, Phytoseius intermedins Evans&Macfarlane, Typhlodromus homalii Gupta, Agistemus sp., Tydeus sp., Biscirus sp., Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Schrank) and Tyrophagus sp. were found associated with phytophagous mites infesting temperate and sub-tropical fruit crops. Out of the above-mentioned species, the most common occurring species were E. finiandicus, N. longispinosus, P. intermedins, Agistemus sp. and T. putrescentiae. E. finiandicus was associated with Panonychus ulmi Koch, Tetranychus urticae Koch and Brevipalpus californicus Banks; N. longispinosus with Tetranychus sp., P. intermedins with Aceria litchi L. whereas, T. putrescentiae was collected from decaying leaves. Among the species reported Phytoseius crinitus, P. intermedins and T. homalii are new to Himachal Pradesh. Agistemus, Tydeus and Biscirus could be identified only up to the generic level.

Keywords

Fruit Crops, Predatory Mites, Phytophagous Mites.

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Rachit Kashyap ¹, K. S. Verma ², Meena Thakur ¹, Yashveer Verma ³, Shreya Handa ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Environmental Science, Dr Yashwant Singh Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan-173 230, Himachal Pradesh, IN
2 College of Forestry, Dr Yashwant Singh Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan-173 230, Himachal Pradesh, IN
3 Department of Biotechnology, Dr Yashwant Singh Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan-173 230, Himachal Pradesh, IN

Abstract

A comparative pot experiment was conducted in 2014 to study heavy metal contamination in soil and bioaccumulation in leaves and ischolar_mains of Spinacia oleracea (spinach) on irrigation with paper mill effluent (PME). Study revealed that there was significant increase in the content of copper (Cu, +81.62 %) at (P<1%), iron (Fe, +79.62 %), zinc (Zn, +90.73 %), cadmium (Cd, +98.99 %), lead (Pb, +95.91 %), nickel (Ni, +98.40 %), chromium (Cr, +97.54 %) at (P<0.1%) in the soil irrigated with PME as compared to soil irrigated with pond water (PW) (control). Increasing PME doses from 10 % (10 % PME + 90 % PW) up to 80 % (80 % PME + 20 % PW) caused a progressive increase in the accumulation of metals, i.e. Fe, Zn, Cd, Cu, Pb, Ni and Cr in the ischolar_mains and leaves of S. oleracea. The metals accumulated in the plant parts (ischolar_main and leaves) of S. oleracea showed significant (p<5%) and a positive correlation with different concentrations of PME. Among various metallic concentrations high values of heavy metals such as Fe (10.97±0.02 mg/kg), Zn (8.45±0.10 mg/kg), Cd (7.63±0.08 mg/kg), Cu (12.12±0.09 mg/kg), Pb (6.47±0.04 mg/kg), Ni (8.48±0.10 mg/kg), and Cr (5.81±0.02 mg/kg) were found in ischolar_mains compared to Fe (9.58±0.06 mg/kg), Zn (6.68±0.06 mg/kg), Cd (5.67±0.01 mg/kg), Cu (10.30±0.11 mg/kg), Pb (4.83±0.03 mg/kg), Ni (6.84±0.02 mg/kg) and Cr (4.50±0.09 mg/kg) in leaves of S. oleracea irrigated with 80 % (80 % PME + 20 % PW) dose. Thus, the practice of using undiluted PME as agro-based organic fertilizer for irrigation increased the concentration of heavy metals which were accumulated in S. oleracea, posing a potential threat to human health from this practice of irrigation. Therefore, proper dilution of PME appears to be necessary for irrigation purpose for the minimum accumulation of heavy metals in soil and plants.

Keywords

Bioaccumulation, Heavy Metals, Paper Mill Effluent, Spinacia oleracea.

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Sharmila Chouhan ¹, S. C. Verma ², Meena Thakur ³

Affiliations
1 Department of Environmental Science, Dr. Y. S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan-173 230, H.P., IN
2 Department of Seed Science and Technology. Dr. Y. S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan-173 230, H.P., IN
3 Department of Entomology. Dr. Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan-173 230, H.P., IN

Abstract

The present study was conducted to investigate the impact of cadmium on biology of Spodoptera litura F. and its accumulation in three consecutive generations. The influence of Cd on fecudinty, fertility, incubation period, larval period, adult longevity and total development period was studied at seven different concentrations viz., 1, 5,10,15, 20, 30 and 40 mg/kg apart from control. Pure culture of S. litura from field collected adult was maintained under laboratory conditions on castor leaves. Fecundity and fertility was low in the highest dose of 40 mg/kg which decreased with generations. Incubation period prolonged with increasing cadmium concentration and generations. The variable doses of cadmium had significant influence on total larval period of the insect. Longest mean larval period of 23.39 days was recorded at 40 mg Cd/kg which differed statistically from its lower concentration. The duration of pupal period decreased with increasing Cd doses as well with generations. Thus, increased cadmium concentrations resulted in prolongation of total developmental period of the insect. Irrespective of generations, total developmental period was 33.97 days in the highest concentration (T₇) as compared to control (28.61 days). The accumulation of cadmium in the sixth instar larvae of S. litura increased with increase in dose of heavy metals in artificial diet and with increase in generations. The accumulation of cadmium in agroecosystem might influence the growth and development of S. litura through host plants to some extent.

Keywords

Heavy Metals, Cadmium, Spodoptera litura, Tobacco Caterpillar.

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