Presenter: Ch. Padmavathi Audience: 2nd National SRI Symposium, Agartala, India Subject Country: India

1. Insect-Pest Dynamics and Arthropod Diversity in SRI and Conventional Methods of Rice Cultivation Ch. Padmavathi, R. Mahender Kumar, K. Surekha, P.C. Latha, L.V. Subba Rao, M. S. Prasad, V. Ravindra Babu, J.S. Prasad, O.P. Rupela 1 , Vinod Goud 2 , I.C.Pasalu and B.C.Viraktamath Directorate of Rice Research, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad 1 ICRISAT, Patancheru, 502324, Andhra Pradesh 2 WWF – ICRISAT campus, Patancheru, 502324, Andhra Pradesh

3. Methodology Field Experiments – DRR Ramachandrapuram farm, ICRISAT campus Soil - sandy clay loam Seasons - rabi and kharif in 2006 Design - split-plot design Main plots - MTU 1010, Shanti & DRRH2 in rabi BPT 5204, Swarna & DRRH2 in kharif Sub-plots - methods of crop husbandry (SRI, Eco-SRI and conventional) Replications - four SRI and conventional method - same inputs applied Eco-SRI - total nutrients through organic source only

5. Results Pest dynamics Five insect pests, viz ., whorl maggot, hispa, yellow stem borer, leaf folder and green leaf hoppers, were observed at different stages of crop growth period. Among these pests, incidence of yellow stem borer was high in various treatments followed by leaf folder. Others pests occurred at low level. In Rabi 2006, the mean per cent of dead hearts was significantly different at maximum tillering stage for the alternative methods of rice cultivation and also among the varieties.

6. Leaf folder damage Stem borer damage Hispa damage

7. Figures in parentheses are square root transformations (√ X+0.5) Yellow stem borer damage during rabi Mean % dead hearts at maximum tillering stage Mean % white ear heads at harvesting stage MTU 1010 Shanti DRRH2 Mean MTU 1010 Shanti DRRH2 Mean ECO-SRI 0.98 (1.18) 2.03 (1.51) 0.69 (0.98) 1.24 (1.23) 1.49 (1.29) 13.83 (3.51) 3.40 (1.97) 6.24 (2.26) SRI 3.59 (1.92) 6.99 (2.73) 2.71 (1.61) 4.43 (2.08) 3.62 (1.92) 28.34 (5.14) 5.62 (2.34) 12.53 (3.13) CON 8.31 (2.94) 11.36 (3.42) 8.26 (2.88) 9.31 (3.07) 3.33 (1.83) 21.17 (4.18) 2.25 (1.56) 8.92 (2.52) Mean 4.29 (2.01) 6.79 (2.55) 3.89 (1.82) 2.82 (1.68) 21.11 (4.27) 3.76 (1.96) CD Methods (M) = 0.62 Varieties (V) = 0.54 Interaction = NS CD Methods (M) = 0.54 Varieties (V) = 0.78 Interaction = NS

8. Stem borer damage at flowering stage in Kharif

9. Defoliators damage in Kharif

10. Leaf mite damage in SRI method of rice cultivation S.No Variety Loss of green colouration 1 MTU 1010 < 10 % 2 Swarna 31 – 50 % 3 BPT 5204 < 10%

11. Diversity indices SRI Conventional Total abundance 263.34 ± 32.19 210.67 ± 27.90 Number of species 20.34 ± 0.67 18.67 ± 2.03 Shannon’s index (H) 1.92 ± 0.05 1.91 ± 0.04 Evenness (E) 0.33 ± 0.02 0.37 ± 0.04 Simpson’s index 0.76 ± 0.02 0.78 ± 0.005 Berger Parker index 0.38 ± 0.04 0.35 ± 0.02 Menhinick index 1.27 ± 0.10 1.28 ± 0.05 Margalef index 3.48 ± 0.16 3.29 ± 0.29

12. Stem borer damage in various varieties/hybrids

13. Effect of age of seedlings on stem borer incidence

14. Influence of spacing on stem borer incidence

16. Thank you