Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

STUDY ON TAXONOMIC DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTION OF PHOPTOTACTIC PREDATORY AND PARASITIC SPECIES IN SOYBEAN ECOSYSTEM

Amit Kumar Sharma, Swati Barche and Kamal S. Kirar

Abstract

Field experiment was conducted during 2011-2012 at JNKVV research farm, Tikamgarh (M.P.) with a view to record the activity and distribution of phototactic predatory and parasitic species of soybean ecosystem. Taxonomic analysis revealed that trapped insects by the light trap were represented by a total of 21 predatory and parasitic species. These species belongs 6 orders and 13 families among these 2 parasitic species belonging to 2 families (order: Hymenoptera). Order Coleoptera dominates the trap catch (48%) with 4 families and 10 species the highest size of trap catch of 5,321 beetles was recorded in Coccinella sp. family Coccinellidae. The results also reveal that few of the predatory and parasitic insects were collected in considerably moderate to very low in number by light trap although their actual role in biological control of major pest genera of the area viz., Helicoverpa, Spodoptera, Agrotis, Plusia and Spilarctica etc. is not well known. October and November were the months of peak activity of most of the entomophagous insects. It is thus concluded that light traps should be operated selectively by avoiding the period of peak activity of the natural enemies so that the biological control may not be disturbed.