1) Definition 2) History of insect pest 3) Relation of insects and plants 4) Insects as vector of plant diseases

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Dr. A. S. Wabale
Assistant Professor and Research Guide
Post Graduate Department of Botany and Research Centre,
Padmashri Vikhe Patil College of Arts, Science and Commerce, Pravaranagar- 413 713
dranilwabale78@gmail.com
SEED ENTOMOLOGY

2. June 27, 2020
Dr. A. S. Wabale
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Chapter-1: Introduction of Seed Entomology
1) Definition
2) History of insect pest
3) Relation of insects and plants
4) Insects as vector of plant diseases

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Insects are amongst the most diverse groups of animals on the planet, including more
than a million known species and signify more than half of all identified living organisms.
Recognizable insects comprise bees, bugs, beetles, flies, ants, grasshoppers and butterflies. Most of
them are solitary; nevertheless, some insects such as ants, bees and termites reside in large colonies.
Most of the colonies are headed by an adult female, the queen. Typically, one category of insects is
responsible for feeding and caring for the young, whereas the other category takes care of the
queen, locate food and defend their nest against trespassers.
Insects converse with others of their species in a variety of ways. Some insects
communicate by making vibrating sounds with their wings or membranes on their abdomen. Certain
insects make noises by driving air out from the pharynx or beating a leg or wing on a hard surface.
Some of them give off various kinds of chemical substances called pheromones. Each kind of
pheromone has a specific function, such as to attract the opposite sex, to identify and individuals
caste or to make a trail.
June 27, 2020
Dr. A. S. Wabale
WHAT ARE INSECTS ?

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Entomology is the study of insects and their relationship with humans, the environment and other
organisms.
Seed Entomology refers to study the role of insects in seed production and their effect
on seed quality during storage.
Insects considered as pest are the organisms that threaten or cause damage to the crops,
livestock, pets and people. Such pest are also responsible for the spread of diseases in humans,
animals and agricultural crops.
June 27, 2020
Dr. A. S. Wabale
WHAT IS SEED ENTOMOLOGY ?

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June 27, 2020
Dr. A. S. Wabale
Entomology is rooted in almost all human traditions from prehistoric era, primarily in
the situation of agriculture (especially biological control and beekeeping). The natural
philosopher Pliny the Elder, (23 - 79 AD) wrote a book on the Kinds of Insects, while
the scientist of Kufa, Ibn al-A‘rābī (760 - 845 AD) wrote a book on flies, Kitāb al-Dabāb.
However scientific study in the modern sense began only as recently as the 16th
century.
William Kirby is usually considered as the Father of Entomology.
In collaboration with William Spence, he published a definitive entomological
encyclopedia, Introduction to Entomology, regarded as the foundational book. He also
helped to found the Royal Entomological Society in London in 1833, one of the earliest
such societies in the world; earlier antecedents, such as the Aurelian society date back
to the 1740s.
Entomology developed speedily in the 19th and 20th centuries, and was studied by
large numbers of people, including such notable figures as Charles Darwin, Jean-Henri
Fabre, Vladimir Nabokov, Karl von Frisch (winner of the 1973 Nobel Prize in Physiology
or Medicine) and two-time Pulitzer Prize winner E. O. Wilson.
HISTORY OF ENTOMOLOGY

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Grape Phylloxera
Phylloxera is a serious insect pest of commercial grape production worldwide. It is tiny
aphid-like insect forming galls on leaves and roots of the plant. It is believed to have been started off
from the Eastern U.S. Early defoliation and reduced shoot growth, yield, and quality of the crop are the
symptoms left by the insect pest.
June 27, 2020
Dr. A. S. Wabale
HISTORY OF ENTOMOLOGY

7. Cotton Boll Weevil
The boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis, is one of the most significant
beetle species in agricultural production that feeds on cotton buds and
flowers. The pest migrated into the U.S. from Mexico in 1892, and by the
1920s, the pest had infested all cotton growing areas. This devastated
the industry and the people working in the industry in the South
America. The boll weevil has caused an estimated $14 billion loss in yield
to the U.S. cotton industry since its arrival in the late 19th century. The
Severity of the pest destruction was so much that a Monument in the
memory of the boll weevil was constructed at Alabama town.
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June 27, 2020
Dr. A. S. Wabale
HISTORY OF ENTOMOLOGY

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June 27, 2020
Dr. A. S. Wabale
RELATION OF INSECT –PLANTS AND ANIMALS
Insects, from eternity are in close association with human. To some extent, the association has benefitted human, whereas in
some causes has caused a severe damage to his belongings like crops, domestic animals, assets etc.
Beneficial Insects
1. Useful Products: Insects are the sources for the products like silk, honey, wax etc.
2. Tannins and Dyes: Certain insects cause gall formation on the plant parts. These galls are the richest source of tannic acid
(30-40%) and dyes. These dyes are used for making permanent ink, dying wool, hair, skin, leather etc. and in Africa it is used
for making tattoos.
3. Pollinators: Insects, particularly the bees, butterflies, moths, beetles and thrips are the important pollinators for pulses,
fruits, vegetable and cotton plants. Insects are firmly essential for pollination in some plants. Out of these insects, 50-70%
role as pollinators is of honey bees.
4. Predators: Some insects are play an essential role in control of harmful insect pest of crop plants (Biological Control). E.g.
Lady Bird Beetle helps to control aphids
5. Source of food and Feed: Insects are the richest source of proteins. Frogs, Reptiles, Birds, Chickens, Turkeys etc. feed on
insects. Certain species of ants are eaten by the tribal.
6. Destroyer of Weeds: Weeds are unwanted plants and a headache to the farmers. There are certain insects like Zygogramma
bicolarata that feeds only on Parthenium sp.
7. Scavengers: Insects consume dead bodies of plant and animals and thus help to keep environment clean.
8. Aid in scientific research: Rapid multiplication, easy to handle characters make insects ideal for experiments in all branches
of science. E.g. Drosophila is an important insect useful in the studying genetics
9. Use in Medicine: Maggots of some flies are used in treatment of wounds as they eat infecting bacteria. Stings of honey bees
is said to be remedy for rheumatism and arthritis
10. Pollution indicators: Biston betularia are white in colour but in polluted areas they turn black.

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June 27, 2020
Dr. A. S. Wabale
Harmful Insects
1. Destroyers of crops: Insects destroy 10% of crops on an average every year by feeding upon on them
2. Annoy and Injure Human and Animals: Insects like Flies and Mosquitoes annoy us by making buzzing noise. Also,
insects like fleas, mosquitoes, ticks, bed bugs suck blood from human as well as animal body producing painful
sensations
3. Insect venoms: Certain insects inject venom into our body by stings (bees), piercing mouth parts (mosquitoes, bed
bugs), nettling hair (larvae of some moths).
4. External and Internal parasites: Many insect species shelter on human (Lice) or animal body (bird lice, maggots,
fleas, ticks)
5. Destroyers of useful articles: Insects destroy almost everything that is used by man viz. stored food, clothing,
woolens, drugs, furniture, bridges, animal and plant collections in museums, papers, books etc.
RELATION OF INSECT –PLANTS AND ANIMALS

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June 27, 2020
Dr. A. S. Wabale
INSECTS AS VECTORS OF PLANT DISEASES
Numerous plant diseases caused by bacteria, virus and fungi are spread by insects for example, the bacterial
bean blights, fire blight of apple and pear, citrus canker, cotton boll rot, crown gall, bacterial spot and canker of
stone fruits, cotton leaf curl etc.
Sr. No Crop Insect Vector Technical name Pathogen
Transmitted
Disease
1 Cotton White Fly, Homoptera Bemisia sabaci Gemini virus particle Cotton Leaf Curl Virus
2 Papaya White Fly, Homoptera Bemisia sabaci Gemini virus particle Papaya Leaf Curl Virus
3 Banana Aphid, Hemiptera Pentalonia
nigronervosa
SSRNA particle Banana Bunchy Top Virus
4 Mango Mango bud/gall mite Aceria mangiferae Fungus Mango malformation
5 Citrus Asian Citrus Psyllid,
Hemiptera
Diaphorina citri Labri bacteri Citrus Greening

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1) Definition
•Entomology
•Seed Entomology
•Pest
•Infestation
2) Comment on the history of insect pest
3) Describe how some insects are harmful and some are useful to the plants with
suitable examples.
4) Describe how some insects are harmful to human belongings
5) Comment on insects as vector of plant diseases
June 27, 2020
Dr. A. S. Wabale
Assignment