Panma Yankit’s research while affiliated with Dr. Yashwant Singh Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry and other places

Sustainability of agricultural production systems is a major concern in context to present environmental conditions. Natural farming (NF) is being promoted as low-cost environment friendly option. A study was carried out to investigate the effects of NF vis-a-vis organic farming (OF) and conventional farming (CF) systems on soil microbial population, enzymatic activity, and microarthropod population under tomato crop in the mid-hill zone of Himachal Pradesh, India. The results showed that bacterial population under NF increased by 42.8% and 24% in comparison to CF and OF, respectively. Similarly, the population of soil fungi and actinomycetes under NF increased by 80.5 and 67.7% over CF, and by 47.9 and 39.6% over OF, respectively. The soil dehydrogenase activity under NF (22.5µg TPF/g soil/h) was 150.6% higher than CF and 85.2% higher than OF. Similar trend was found for phosphatase and urease activity. Soil micro arthropod population after two years of experiment was also highest under NF followed by OF and CF. The system yield was statistically at par to each other, among different farming systems. All the soil biological parameters were significantly correlated with each other (P<0.001, N=42). However, the correlation of these parameters was not significant for crop yield.

The investigations were carried out to evaluate the predatory potential and functional response of Oenopia kirbyi Mulsant (Coccinellidae: Coleoptera) against rose aphid, Macrosiphum rosae L. (Aphididae: Hemiptera). The experiments were carried out in vitro condition at 25 ± 1 °C, 70 ± 5% R.H and 14L:10D photoperiod under laboratory conditions. The freshly emerged coccinellid larvae were reared individually in test tubes containing assorted populations of second and third instar nymphs of M. rosae. The predatory potential of 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th instar coccinellid larvae was 8.70, 20.70, 28.10 and 31.40 aphids, respectively. The lifetime consumption rate of adult female was 560.16 aphids which varied from 544 to 580 aphids and adult male consumed 491 aphids which varied from 472 to 516 aphids. The predation efficiency of O. kirbyi against M. rosae increased with the developmental stage of the predator which is illustrated by parameters of attack rate (a) and handling time (Th). The predation rate (k) of 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th instars and adult were 19.17, 27.69, 30.63, 32.49 and 34.27 aphids, respectively, in 24 h. The fourth instar coccinellid larvae and adults (both male and female) of O. kirbyi were recorded as voracious feeders and can successfully be exploited in interated pest management programme(IPM) against rose aphid along with other natural enemies as a biocontrol agent of M. rosae.

A study was conducted on effect of two farming systems namely zero budget natural farming (ZBNF) and conventional farming (CF) on diversity and seasonal abundance of insect pests of cauliflower and their natural enemies during 2018-19 and 2019-20. Studies revealed that ZBNF system harboured less pest diversity and attracted more natural enemies as compared to the CF system. Natural enemy activity and % parasitisation were maximum in ZBNF system as compared to CF system. The results indicate that indigenous ZBNF formulations and intercropping have a positive effect on the population of natural enemies and repelled the insect pests much better as compared to CF system.

The bumble bee (Bombus haemorrhoidalis Smith) is an effective pollinator in the cultivation of polyhouse tomato Solanum lycopersicum Mill. The foraging activity of bumble bees in tomato crop was recorded and observed that maximum (8.33 bumble bees/5min) activity of bumble bees (B. haemorrhoidalis) was during 1800-1900 day hours. Foraging rate was peaked during 1000-1100 day hour (4.74 flowers/min). Foraging speed was recorded to be maximum time spent /flower (6.82 sec/flower) during 0800-0900hr and minimum was during 1200-1300hr (3.19 sec/flower). Number of B. haemorrhoidalis per m 2 /5min was maximum during 1600-1700hr of the day (11.12 bumble bees/ m 2 /5min). While number of bees were significantly higher (9.55 bumble bees/ m 2 /5min) during full bloom followed by (8.61 bumble bees/ m 2 /5min) during onset of bloom. Bumble bee foragers preferred to visit tomato bloom during morning and evening time than mid day with more abundance, foraging rate and foraging speed during these hours of the day.

Foraging behaviour of bumblebee on kiwifruit

The experiment was conducted to study the population dynamics of springtail on five strains of paddy straw mushroom viz., Vv-01, Vv-09, Vv-11, Vv-12, Vv-13 at Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar during 2013 and 2014. The population of springtail was observed throughout the cropping season (August 2013 and April 2014). The maximum mean population of the springtail were recorded at end of crop i.e fourth week as compared to initial population. The population of springtail increased with increased in temperature and relative humidity. So, positive correlation between weather parameters and population of springtail was observed in all five strains. Although population of adult springtail was observed in the bundles of paddy straw but there was no infestation on fruiting bodies.