Management of false wire worm, Gonocephalum beetle (Tenebrionidae: coleoptera) in chickpea raised under residual moisture conditions

Abstract

False wire worm, Gonocephalum indicum, incidence was observed for the first time in severe form in Rabi 2008-09 on chickpea, confined to saline tracts of Vidarbha (MS). Gonocephalum adults inflicts injury near collar region of chickpea resulting in collapsing and drying of plants translating into re-sowing of crop due to poor plant stand. Field study revealed 5.8 – 32.3% damaged plants with lowest damage in Module 9 (Seed treatment with clothianidin 2 gm/kg seed + spaying of chlorpyriphos 2 ml/liter water 20 days after crop emergence), Module 10 (Application of phorate granules 10 kg/ha at sowing + spraying of chlorpyriphos 2 ml/liter water 20 days after crop emergence) and Module 11(Seed treatment with clothianidin 2 gm/kg seed + application of clothianidin granules 200 gm/ha 20 days after crop emergence) with 5.8, 6.2 and 8.7% affected plants. The % drying of plants due to injury was in the range of 4.3 – 21.6 % with lowest in Module 11, Module 10 and Module 9 with 4.3, 6.0 and 6.2 % drying of plants, respectively. Superiority of Module 9 (20.4 q/ha) and Module 11 (19.7 q/ha) was evident in yield, whereas, lowest yield was observed in control plot (13.2 q/ha). Module 9 and Module 11 registered higher net returns of Rs. 13887 and Rs. 9948 per ha, respectively, whereas, Module 9 and Module 10 had highest ICBR of 1: 6.0 indicating the suitability of modules in terms of bioefficacy and cost effectiveness for the management of Gonocephalum in problematic area.