Balasubramani Venkatasamy

• PhD in Agricultural Entomology
• Professor at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University

Bacillus thuringiensis is a prominent, eco-friendly entomopathogenic bacterium used as a plant-incorporated toxin in genetically modified crops and as a stomach poison for insects in the form of spore formulations. Upon entering the alkaline environment of the insect gut, the toxin undergoes proteolytic breakdown, converting the protoxin into its a...

Nesidiocoris tenuis (Reuter) (Hemiptera: Miridae) is an effective predator of tomato pests. It is a promising biocontrol agent for Phthorimaea absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae). This study determines the predation capacity and annual growth index of N. tenuis using CLIMEX in relation to weather parameters for P. absoluta. Two laboratory...

Melon thrips (Thrips palmi), a regulatory quarantine pest, has infiltrated various countries and geographies within a century, severely destroying crops from over 30 plant families. It became a global concern because of its opportunistic character, ability to disseminate tospoviruses, and consequences on horticultural yield. T. palmi is a persisten...

The fungal pathogen Ascosphaera apis poses a significant threat to global beekeeping by causing larval mortality and reducing colony productivity. Initially the chalkbrood disease confined to Europe, the disease has now spread worldwide, including India, where it recently affected Apis mellifera colonies in Tamil Nadu. Management commonly relies on...

The identification and characterization of the sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS) genes family have been carried out in several plant species; nevertheless, studies on the analysis of SPS genes in cassava are limited. We report the study of four SPS genes; (sucrose phosphate synthase 3 F, sucrose phosphate synthase 1F, sucrose phosphate synthase fami...

Background: Investigation of the biochemical profile and storage root yield of three cassava genotypes (H-165, H-226 and TME-419) was carried out. Planting was done at three different seasons: summer, early monsoon and late monsoon. Methods: The storage roots were harvested at intervals of 6, 9 and 12 months after planting to evaluate their yield....

The management of melon fly Zeugodacus cucurbitae (Coquilett) having wide host range is most challenging. Bacillus thuringiensis remains a potential pest management candidate of biological origin. In the present study, nine indigenous Bt isolates were characterised and evaluated against neonate (~12 hrs old) maggots. The isolates showed a diversifi...

Tomato is a widely cultivated crop significant for its economic and nutritional benefits. The South American tomato pinworm, Tuta absoluta, originated in Peru South America and has invaded many nations, causing up to 100% yield loss in tomatoes. The pest was classified as a quarantine pest by the European Plant Protection Organization, before invad...

The cotton aphid or melon aphid, Aphis gossypii Glover (Hemiptera: Aphididae), is a rising threat to cotton production. Aphids use needle-like stylets to puncture the plant epidermis, access the sieve tube, and ingest the plant phloem. Aphids release salivary proteins while feeding, allowing them to colonize host plants successfully. Aphid saliva c...

The cucurbit fruit fly or melon fly, Zeugodacus cucurbitae (Coquilett) is the most devastating pest of horticultural crops. Laboratory research with maggots and adults of fruit flies necessitates the need for mass rearing. A few artificial diets have been evaluated for mass rearing of Z. cucurbitae, but each had few challenges like handling and man...

Chalkbrood Ascosphaera apis is a fungal brood pathogen that exerts considerable biotic stress on honey bees worldwide. Chalkbrood was noticed at Coimbatore in Apis mellifera colonies for the first time. Precise identification of the fungal pathogen and their mating types is crucial to develop effective disease management strategies. Hence, the pres...

The fungal pathogen Ascosphaera apis significantly impacts the honey bee Apis mellifera by causing larval mortality and reducing colony productivity. Understanding the growth dynamics of A. apis under different media conditions is crucial for advancing research on its biology and pathogenicity. This study evaluates the effect of eight artificial me...

The present study focused on the molecular characterization and toxicity analysis of the Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner (Bt) isolate T121 against Henosepilachna vigintioctopunctata (F.) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae). Colonies of T121 growing on solid media were circular, with creamy white hues and raised centers. Scanning electron microscopy reveale...

Background: Indiscriminate use of insecticides against fruit flies (Tephritidae: Diptera) has led to the development of residue and resistance and there is a need to try alternate eco-friendly management practices. Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is the most widely used bacterium forming proteins active against insects of different orders. Thus, the pr...

Background: Investigation of the biochemical profile and storage root yield of three cassava genotypes (H-165, H-226 and TME-419) was carried out. Planting was done at three different seasons: summer, early monsoon and late monsoon. Methods: The storage roots were harvested at intervals of 6, 9 and 12 months after planting to evaluate their yield....

The Fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda is the most notorious invasive pest species on maize, recently reported in India. The continuous spread of Fall armyworms to new ecological niches raises global concern. The current study is the first in India to forecast the suitability of a habitat for S. frugiperda using a maximum entropy algorithm. Predi...

A study was conducted to record the pattern of insecticide usage and knowledge level of farmers in handling insecticides to control shoot and fruit borer Leucinodes orbonalis Guenee from major brinjal growing districts of Tamil Nadu during 2022 -2023. This study found that, 22 different insecticides were imposed for the management of Leucinodes orb...

The present study assessed the granule morphology and biochemical properties of starches and flours derived from storage roots of ten cassava varieties. All examined cassava starch samples exhibited smooth surfaces, with few truncated shapes, and predominantly spherical to oval shapes. Granule size distribution varied across the varieties, ranging...

The toxins derived from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) exhibit significant promise in managing specific orders of harmful insects without the drawbacks in using of chemical insecticides. This study examines 20 indigenous Bt isolates, with a focus on their colony and crystal morphology, gene content, protein profiles, and toxicity against the larvae of...

The present study identified 151 proteins from the salivary gland of cowpea aphid Aphis craccivora Koch, using LC-MS/MS analysis. These included enzymes mainly involved in the digestion and detoxification of secondary metabolites and proteins related to cell development and molecular function. Enzymes like peroxidase, trehalase, cytochrome P450 mon...

Aphid salivary proteins mediate the interaction between aphids and their host plants. Moreover, these proteins facilitate digestion, detoxification of secondary metabolites, as well as activation and suppression of plant defenses. The cowpea aphid, Aphis craccivora, is an important sucking pest of leguminous crops worldwide. Although aphid saliva p...

The demography and population fitness of fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda was studied by comparing ambient (31 °C + 415 ppm) with elevated (33 °C + 460 ppm and 35 °C + 520 ppm) environmental conditions. The experiments with temperature and CO 2 levels were conducted by using Soil Plant Atmosphere Research (SPAR) chamber. The life history data o...

Invasive black flower thrips Thrips parvispinus (Karny) has recently emerged as a significant threat to Indian chilli production. Identifying T. parvispinus became difficult due to the complex presence of thrips species in Indian chilli and allied ecosystems. Pest management success depends on assessing invasive pests genetic populations and their...

Unlabelled: The Fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda, is a globally important invasive pest, primarily on corn, causing severe yield loss. Overuse of synthetic chemicals has caused significant ecological harm, and in many instances control has failed. Therefore, developing efficient, environmentally friendly substitutes for sustainable management...

The most devastating insect pest of rice, Brown plant hopper (BPH) (Nilaparvata lugens Stal.) feeds on the rice plant and results in huge yield loss. Breeding of resistant cultivars is more economical and eco-friendlier than use of chemical pesticides. Rice cultivars with improved resistance to disease and pest are developed with pyramiding techniq...

Nimbolide, a tetranortriterpenoid (limonoid) compound isolated from the leaves of Azadirachta indica, was screened both in vitro and in silico for its antimicrobial activity against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense, Macrophomina phaseolina, Pythium aphanidermatum, Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae, and insecticidal activity against Plutella xylostella...

Leafhoppers diversity was studied in irrigated rice ecosystems of Cauvery Delta Zone, High Rainfall Zone and Western Zone. Leafhopper assemblage comprised 14 species of Cicadellidae and among them Maiestas dorsalis (Motschulsky) was found to be the most abundant species (35.02%), followed by Cofana spectra (Distant) (23.15%). The order of species d...

The Old-World Psyllid, Heterotrioza chenopodii (Hemiptera, Psylloidea, Triozidae) was found infesting quinoa, Chenopodium quinoa (Amaranthaceae) crop. The psyllids were identified using taxonomic traits and further confirmation with mitochondrial marker based molecular approach. The information on damage and its life stages is reported along with t...

Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), renowned for its insecticidal properties, has emerged as a promising solution in pest management, addressing concerns over environmental impact, regulatory restrictions, and insect resistance to synthetic insecticides. This study focuses on the indigenous Bt isolate T210, which exhibits nematicidal activity against the...

Background: Honey bees are one of the most important and efficient insect pollinators of food crops on earth providing honey, bee wax, bee pollen, royal jelly, propolis, etc. Varroa destructor is the most obnoxious pest of honey bees infliciting damage to the colony vis-à-vis transmitting viral diseases. The repeated use of synthetic acaricidal tre...

Background: Lablab (Lablab purpureus) is a potential vegetable crop cultivated throughout India. It is a tropical and subtropical vegetable adaptive to different climatic conditions and grown in all seasons. Thrips are one of the important pests of lablab as they affect all stages of the crop and transmit plant viruses. The current study aimed at i...

The cucurbit fruit fly or melon fly, Zeugodacus cucurbitae (Coquilett) is the most devastating pest of horticultural crops. Laboratory research with maggots and adults of fruit flies necessitates the need for mass rearing. Only a few artificial diets have been evaluated for mass rearing of Z. cucurbitae . With this mandate, the present study was fo...

Cotton-melon aphid, Aphis gossypii Glover (Hemiptera: Aphididae), is emerging as a potential threat to cotton cultivation worldwide. The resistance categories in Gossypium arboreum to A. gossypii still need to be explored. We screened 87 G. arboreum and 20 Gossypium hirsutum genotypes against aphids under natural field conditions. Twenty-six select...

In the wake of climate change and invasive insects it is important to study the different life stages of insect pests in economically important crops. Eteoryctis syngramma (Meyrick 1914) (Gracillariidae: Lepidoptera) is an important pest of Mangifera indica Linnaeus (1753) and Anacardium occidentale Linnaeus (1753) in India. Larva mines the dorsal...

Background The isolation of Ribonucleic Acid (RNA) from leaves and storage roots of cassava ( Manihot esculenta Crantz) is a challenging one, due to the presence of large amounts of polyphenolic compounds, polysaccharides, and tuber proteins. RNA with high quality and intact integrity is vital for gene expression studies. We hereby report a precise...

The next generation of hybrid rice is based on exploitation of inter subspecific heterosis for which, development of restorers in indica/tropical japonica background suitable for tropical countries like India assumes importance. The progenies of sub-specific crosses exhibit spikelet sterility of varying degrees that have an impact on genetic struct...

The present investigation was aimed to develop restorer lines for three-line hybrid rice using indica/tropical japonica derivatives to exploit the inter sub-specific heterosis. From 75 F4 families of CB174R/Azucena, two plants were randomly selected and screened using simple sequence repeat markers DRRM-RF 3 -10 for Rf3 gene and RM6100 for Rf4 gene...

Early duration drought tolerant rice culture CB 06803, a derivative of the cross PMK (R) 3 x Norungan was released as Rice CO 53 during the year 2020 as an alternate variety for Anna(R)4, with 115-120 days duration. It possesses desirable features like high yield, drought tolerance and better physiological efficiency. This culture with semi dwarf s...

The isolation of RNA from leaves and storage roots of cassava ( Manihot esculenta ) is a challenging one, due to the presence of large amounts of polyphenolic compounds, polysaccharides, and tuber proteins. RNA with high quality and intact integrity is vital for gene expression studies. We hereby report a precise, reproducible, and less cumbersome...

Morphological description of egg, larval chaetotaxy, pupa, adult genitalia of plume moth Sphenarches anysodactylus (Walker, 1864) (Pterophoridae: Lepidoptera) is presented. The mtCO1 of the Indian population done in this study is provided, revealing maximum similarity with six populations from Africa (97.55 to 98.37 %) and two populations from Aust...

The aim of the study was to find out the dissipation rate of the chlorantraniliprole residues in garden bean pods. Insecticides were sprayed at the farmers’ holding located at Naraseepuram, Coimbatore during the year 2022 (March to April), and the collected samples were processed and analyzed in the laboratory. An effective modified QuEChERS method...

Nucleotide Binding Site - Leucine Rich Repeat (NBS-LRR) genes play a significant role in plant defense against biotic stresses and are an integral part of signal transduction pathways. Vat gene has been well reported for their role in resistance to Aphis gossypii and viruses transmitted by them. Despite their importance, Vat like NBS-LRR resistance...

Background The indiscriminate use of synthetic insecticides is not affordable and poses collateral damage to humans, non-target organisms, and environmental health. Bacillus thuringiensis ( Bt) is a cosmopolitan, antagonistic soil bacterium employed as an alternative to chemical insecticides in pest management. In this study, genetic diversity and...

To reduce the detrimental effect of insecticides, an effective Integrated Pest Management (IPM) module is necessary for the eco-friendly management of Maruca vitrata in garden bean ecosystem. Two field trials were carried out to evaluate the efficacy of different insecticides and botanicals against M. vitrata on Lablab purpureus var. typicus. Two s...

Genetically, the maize fall armyworm (FAW, Spodoptera frugiperda J.E. Smith) consists of two strains viz., corn (C) strain mainly feeding on maize, sorghum, cotton, pulses, etc., and rice (R) strain feeding on rice crop and other grasses. The present study was carried out to identify the strains of FAW collected from finger millet crop at three dif...

Background Bacillus thuringiensis ( Bt ) Berliner is an omnipresent soil bacterium used as world’s leading biopesticide to combat agriculturally important insect pests. This study was aimed at protein and gene profiling of an indigenous Bt isolate RM11, which was toxic to the larvae of diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (L.) in laboratory bioass...

Six different rice entries along with susceptible and resistant check varieties were evaluated under glasshouseconditions for different parameters of antixenosis and antibiosis resistance against brownplanthopper(BPH, Nilaparvata lugens Stål). In antixenosis studies, proportion of insects settled on test entries in relationto the susceptible contr...

In this study, we present the molecular and insecticidal characteristics of an indigenous Bt isolate T405 toxic against the maize fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda. The presence of cry1, cry2 (cry2Aa &cry2Ab) and vip3A1 genes in T405 was confirmed. The SDS-PAGE gel analysis confirmed the occurrence of Cry and Vip proteins with molecular ma...

Urdbean leaf crinkle disease (ULCD) caused by an ungrouped virus is a destructive and serious disease of urdbean (Vigna mungo L. Hepper). Urdbean is commonly infected by leaf crinkle disease and is distinguished by the symptoms of extreme crinkling, curling, puckering, the rugosity of leaves, stunting of plants, and malformation of floral organs. A...

The fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda is a recent invasive significant pest of maize in India for the past three years. As, there are two strains reported in S. frugiperda, before proceeding for any studies, it is important to confirm whether the populations introduced belongs to ‘R’ strain or ‘C’ strain. PCR–RFLP technique was used to analyze t...

Simple sequence repeats (SSR) polymorphism in two rice varieties viz., Co51(High yielding, short duration, fine grain variety but susceptible to Brown Plant Hopper) was pyramided with bacterial blight resistance genes xa5, xa13 and Xa21, blast resistance gene Pi54 and sheath blight resistance QTLs qSBR7-1, qSBR11-1 and qSBR11-2 and Ptb33 (BPH resis...

Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) Berliner is a ubiquitous soil bacterium with commercial bio pesticidal value and widely used for effective control of various important agricultural insect pests. Invasion of Fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) into India caused potential yield loss in maize production, and also it threats the cultiva...

The temperature has a direct effect on the activity of insect pests and their developmental rate. The increasing temperature could profoundly influence the population dynamics, life cycle, length of reproduction, fecundity, and longevity. In the present study, the impact of different temperatures (32, 33, 34, 35 and 36°C) on the degree days and pop...

The pigeonpea eriophyid mite, Aceria cajani , vector of sterility mosaic disease in pigeonpea, causes economic damage of up to 90% during the early stages of crop growth. The major element in deploying management practice is to know the population dynamics of the pest. The population dynamics of A. cajani both in field and green house conditions re...

Multiplication of stingless bees, Tetragonula spp has been a challenging task for beekeepers and scientists in India. Even though a few methods are available for increasing the colony numbers, refinement is essential to reduce the time taken and increase the success rate. Hence attempts were made in this study, to divide the stingless bee colonies...

The fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), is an invasive insect pest of India native to the Western Hemisphere. The pest damages more than 350 plant species. FAW is genetically divided into two strains viz. corn (C) strain which feeds mostly on maize, sorghum, etc. and the other is a rice (R) strain that...

The present study aimed to the delimitation of Aulacophora spp. from Tamil Nadu through DNA-barcoding. Samples were collected from three districts of Tamil Nadu and cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene ofthree species (A. foveicollis, A. lewisii and A. cincta) was sequenced. Eight specimens were sequenced and was submitted to the Genbank. Mole...

In the present study, eight indigenous Bacillus thuringiensis isolates of Western Ghats of India with more than 90% toxicity against Helicoverpa armigera were characterized for cry2A gene sub families. Seven of the eight isolates harboured cry2Aa, cry2Ab and cry2Ac genes alone and or in combination. Further, the indigenous cry2Aa gene(s) from Bacil...

Rising atmospheric CO2 concentrations are more likely to alter the survival and fecundity of insect pests. Fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) is an important insect pest that severely affects Indian agriculture, yet the influence of elevated CO2 on population dynamics of this species is still unknown. The elevated CO2 shortened the...

In the present study, molecular characterization was carried out at the Department of Plant Biotechnology, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore to identify the strains of fall armyworm collected from pearl millet crop at four different locations in Tamil Nadu, India. PCR-RFLP profile of mitochondrial COI fragment exhibited the presence of...

Increasing population growth raise the demand for food requirement which directly forces the agriculture sector to maximise its production. Such intensive cultivation practices will result in deterioration of local flora and fauna. A detailed information on the current status of faunal community in agrarian lands is required to keep check on extinc...

In the present study, molecular characterization was carried out at the Department of Plant Biotechnology, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore to identify the strains of fall armyworm collected from pearl millet crop at four different locations in Tamil Nadu, India. PCR-RFLP profile of mitochondrial COI fragment exhibited the presence of...

Background Toxins from the Bacillus thuringiensis ( Bt ) bacterium are employed as an alternative to synthetic pesticides in pest management. The greatest threat to the long-term viability of Bt toxins is resistance evolution in the target pests. Genetic diversity and toxicity of Bt isolates were studied in this work in order to find Bt isolates wi...

Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) is an invasive and key pest of maize, which has been recently introduced to South India. There are two strains reported, viz. rice strain and maize strain. Though several diets were tried in different parts of the world, none of them contained rice leaf powder as a component from natural host. Hence a study was co...

Toxicity of nine indigenous Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) isolates collected from Tamil Nadu, India were tested against fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda. At 30 ?g/ml concentration, two Bt isolates viz., T350 and T532 recorded 100 per cent mortality whereas isolates T527 and T532 registered 96 per cent mortality against neonate larvae of S. frugip...

Effect of elevated temperature on the population dynamics of fall armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda. Abstract Aim: Methodology: Results: Interpretation: Key words: The present study was conducted to determine the growth, survival, fecundity and mortality rate of Spodoptera frugiperda in maize at elevated temperature. Biology and life table experiments...

Diamondback moth is one of the most important destructive pests attacking Brassica vegetable crops across the globe. With repeated notification of resistance of P. xylostella to different group of insecticides from many countries, microbial biopesticides are considered as an effective alternative. Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) constitutes the active...

Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is an omnipresent, spore-forming soil bacterium that is distinguished by the production of proteins, which are active on a wide range of insect pests. The potential of Bt to be utilized as an insecticidal spray was perceived in the mid-twentieth century and since that time numerous Bt-based biopesticides have been market...

Abstract The tomato pinworm, Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Gelechiidae: Lepidoptera), is an introduced serious pest of tomato in India. Management of this insect pest mainly relies on insecticides because of its high infestation levels on all plant parts and life stages of tomato crop. This laboratory study investigated the efficacy of Cry1Ac protein of...

Background The tomato pinworm Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) is one of the key pests of tomato worldwide, causing an estimated crop loss of 80 to 100%. This pest has developed resistance to several pesticides due to overuse, resulting in control failures in the field. The use of biological insecticides as Bacillus thuringiensis...

Biology and lifetable of Spodoptera frugiperda in maize were studied under controlled conditions of 27±1°C, 70±10%RH, 14L:10D. Adult longevity, oviposition period, fecundity and fertility of 30 pairs were evaluated. The total larval period was 14.48 days (I instar-2.55 days, II instar-2.12 days, III instar-2.08 days, IV instar-2.00 days, V instar-2...

Total of 16 maize hybrids were screened for their resistance to S. cerealella, three viz. CMH08-381, CMH08- 287, C06 were found resistant as they showed less insect emergence, low adult weight, prolonged mean development period, lower weight loss and lower susceptibility index. Qualitative analysis was done for three maize hybrids each from resista...

Applied entomology deals with the usefulness of the science of entomology for the benefit of mankind. This book PRINCIPLES OF APPLIED ENTOMOLOGY owes its origin to the entomology course material used for the second year under graduate teaching programme in Tamil Nadu Agricultural University. This book has been revised based on the existing curricul...

This experiment was carried out in the Maize research station at Vaagarai during the year of 2013-2014 for assessing the “Effect of different cultivars on the pre harvest infestation by Sitotroga cerealella”. A total of 41 samples collected from the maize field. They were of four types:, extra early, early, medium and late maturing hybrids. Among t...

The genetic variability of Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) at different agro-ecological zones of Bangladesh in comparison with Indian population was conducted in India during September 2008 to February 2009. A total of 12 H. armigera populations of which 10 populations collected from different agro-ecological zones of Bangladesh and two populations f...