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PRINT ISSN : 2319-7692
Online ISSN : 2319-7706 Issues : 12 per year Publisher : Excellent Publishers Email : editorijcmas@gmail.com / submit@ijcmas.com Editor-in-chief: Dr.M.Prakash Index Copernicus ICV 2018: 95.39 NAAS RATING 2020: 5.38 |
Impact of brushing date and direction on pest severity and cocoon production in tasar silkworm was studied. Appropriate direction as well as date of brushing has important role in suppression of pest and predators without use of harmful chemicals. Brushing of tasar silkworm was done on three dates viz., 16th, 21st, and 26th at an interval of 5 days in four directions viz., North, South, East and West. Regular monitoring of weather data’s (maximum temperature, minimum temperature, morning relative humidity, evening relative humidity, rainfall and it converted into weekly), cocoon quality (numbers of cocoon, cocoon weight, shell weight and SR%) and pest infestation (reduvid bug, canthecona bug and wasp) were recorded. The cocoon quality of cocoon showed decreasing trend in late brushing of tasar silkworm viz., first date of brushing> second date of brushing > third date of brushing whereas pest infestations showed increasing trends in late brushing viz., first < second north > south > west direction whereas pest infestation showed increasing trend viz., east < north < south and < west direction respectively. Overall highest cocoon quality and lowest pest infestation was observed in first date of brushing in east direction whereas lowest cocoon quality and highest pest infestation was observed in third date of brushing in west direction except wasp infestation. Finally, it could be concluded that the first date of brushing in east direction might be efficient in terms of suppressing the major pest predator to some extent and enhance cocoon production in humid subtropical climate of Dumaka, Jharkhand. This simple practice would reduce the cost of silkworm protection, protect the environment and can be incorporated as a component of integrated pest management (IPM) in tasar culture.