Abstract
The introduction of high yielding sorghum hybrids in the mid-1960s indicated that the new cultivars were highly susceptible to insect pest attack. Use of chemicals for the control of the snootily, Atherigona soccata (Rondani), became necessary to realise a full yield potential.
This paper briefly reviews the earlier work on conventional foliar sprayings and dustings of the available insecticides which generally failed to give an effective control of the shootfly.
Work carried out in the early 1960s showed that the application of phorate, disulfoton, aldicarb and carbofuran granules in the soil at the time of sowing was very effective in controlling the pest. Recently two more insecticides, viz. isofenphos and fensulfothion have been found to be equally effective. However, the cost of applying these insecticides is rather high.
Seed treatment with carbofuran at 5 parts a.i. per 100 parts of seed proved to be highly effective and economical. It is now being widely used by farmers in the major sorghum growing area of the country. It has been found that dosage of carbofuran can be further reduced by using a 6:4 mixture of treated and untreated seed.
Trials have been conducted to determine the residues of effective insecticides in the soil and in plants at different intervals. Investigations have also been carried out to establish the correlation between the residues of different insecticides in plants and their efficacy in controlling the shootfly. A future strategy for the chemical control of the shootfly is outlined.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Anonymous (1965-1967) Progress report of the All India Sorghum Improvement Project. Indian Council of Agricultural Research and Cooperating Agencies (mimeographed).
Anonymous (1968-1969) Progress report of the All India Sorghum Improvement Project. Indian Council of Agricultural Research and Cooperating Agencies (mimeographed).
Barry D. (1972) Chemical control of sorghum shootrly on a susceptible variety of sorghum in Uganda. J. econ. Ent. 65, 1123–1125.
Chachoria H. S. (1972) Control of shootfly with insecticide sprays and large scale trials in India. In Control of Sorghum Shootfly (Ed. by Jotwani M. G. and Young W. R.), pp. 274–286. Oxford & IBH, New Delhi.
Clinton P. K. (1960) Some pests and diseases of sorghum and their control in the central rain lands of the Sudan. Emp. J. exp. Agric. 28, 294–304.
Davies J. C. and Jowett B. (1966) Increases in the incidence of Atherigona indica infuscata Emden. Diptera (Anthomyiidae) on sorghum due to spraying. Nature, Lond. 209, 104.
Davies J. C. and Jowett B. (1970) The control of sorghum pests with insecticides in Eastern Uganda. E. Afr. agric. J. 25,414–421.
Deeming J. C. (1971) Some species of Atherigona Rondani (Diptera: Muscidae) from northern Nigeria, with special reference to those injurious to cereal crops. Bull. ent. Res. 61, 133–190.
Doggett H. and Majisu B. N. (1966) Record of research. E. Afr. Agric. For Res. Organ Ann. Report, p. 86.
Everly R. T. and Pickett R. C. (1960) The effect of phorate applied to seed on the growth development and insects attacking grain sorghum. J. econ. Ent. 53, 154–160.
Harris W. V. (1934) Report of the Assistant Entomologist. Rep. Department of Agriculture, Tanganyika.
Hussani S. H. and Rao V. P. (1965) Use of Thimet granules and control of Atherigona indica in sorghum. Sorghum Newsl., 8, 34–36.
Jotwani M. G. (1972) Seed treatment of sorghum for the control of shootfly. In Control of Sorghum Shootfly (Ed. by Jotwani M. G. and Young W. R.), pp. 262–273. Oxford & IBH, New Delhi.
Jotwani M G., Srivastava K. P., Agnihotri N. P. and Jain H. K. (1980) Relative efficacy of some systemic insecticides used for the control of sorghum shootfly and their residues in soil and plants. Entomon. 5, 85–89.
Jotwani M G. and Sukhani T. R. (1968) Seed treatment of sorghum for the control of shootfly (Atherigona varia soccata Rond.). Pesticides 2(2), 42–43.
Meksongsee B. (1972) Chemical control of sorghum shootfly in Thailand. In Control of Sorghum Shootfly (Ed. by Jotwani M. G. and Young W. R.), pp. 242–251. Oxford & IBH, New Delhi.
Pont Adrian C. (1972) A review of the oriental species of Atherigona Rondani (Diptera: Muscidae) of economic importance. In Control of Sorghum Shootfly (Ed. by Jotwani M. G. and Young W. R.), pp. 26–104. Oxford & IBH, New Delhi.
Rai Samarjit, Jotwani M. G. and Jha D. (1978) Economic injury level of shootfly, Atherigona soccata (Rondani) on sorghum. Indian J. Ent. 40, 126–133.
Rao N. G. P. and House L. R. (1965a) Coordinated sorghum hybrid No. 1. N.S.C. Bull. 1, 3.
Rao N. G. P. and House L. R. (1965b) Coordinated sorghum hybrid No. 2. N.S.C. Bull. 1, 6.
Rao S. B. P. and Rao D. V. N. (1956) Studies on the sorghum shoot borer fly Atherigona indica Malloch (Anthomyiidae: Diptera) at Siruguppa. Mysore agric. J. 31, 158–174.
Rao N., Reddy D. V. R. and Paradhasradi A. V. (1968) Problems of hybrid sorghum seed production and their solutions. Sorghum Newsl. 11, 40–41.
Sepsawadi P., Meksongsee B. and Knapp F. W. (1971) Effectiveness of various insecticides against a sorghum shootfly. J. econ. Ent. 64, 1509–1511.
Singh Vidya Sagar and Jotwani M. G. (1975) Control of sorghum shootfly, Atherigona soccata Rond, with phorate and disulfoton granules. Indian J. Ent. 37, 219–224.
Srivastava K. P. and Jotwani M. G. (1979) Persistence and residues of carbofuran, disulfoton and endosulfan used for the control of major pests of sorghum crop. J. ent. Res. 3, 148–156.
Srivastava K. P. and Jotwani M. G. (1980) Control of sorghum shootfly Atherigona soccata (Rondani) and stem borer Chilo partellus (Swinhoe) with some recently developed granular insecticides. Indian J. Ent. 42 (in press).
Srivastava K. P., Jotwani M. G., Agnihotri N. P. and Jain H. K. (1980) Relative efficacy of carbofuran formulations and fensulfothion granules for the control of sorghum shootfly and correlation of efficacy with residues in plants. J. ent. Res. 4 (in press).
Sukhani T. R. and Jotwani M. G. (1980a) Comparison of cultural and chemical methods for the control of sorghum shootfly. Entomon 5 (in press).
Sukhani T. R. and Jotwani M. G. (1980b) Efficacy of some recently developed systemic insecticides for the control of sorghum shootfly Atherigona soccata Rondani. Indian J. Ent. 42 (in press).
Sukhani T. R., Srivastava K. P. and Jotwani M. G. (1973) Gum acacia as a sticker for sorghum seed treatment. Entomologist’s Newsl. 3(4), 25–26.
Swaine G. and Wyatt C. A. (1954) Observation on the sorghum shootfly. E. Afr. agric. For J. 20, 45–48.
Usman S., Patil B. W. and Giri Raj (1967) Evaluation of insecticides for sorghum shootfly control. Sorghum Newsl. 10, 58–59.
Vedamoorthy G., Thobbi V. V., Matai B. H. and Young W. R. (1965) Preliminary studies with seed and seed furrow application of insecticides for the control of the sorghum stem maggot, Atherigona indica Malloch (Anthomyiidae). Indian J. agric. Sci. 35, 14–28.
Wheatley P. E. (1961) The insect pests of agriculture in the coast province of Kenya, 5, Maize and Sorghum. E. Afr. agric. For J. 27, 105–107.
Yathom S. (1967a) Control of the sorghum shootfly in Israel. Int. Pest. Control 9, 8–11.
Yathom S. (1967b) Effect of irrigation on the efficiency of soil treatment with granular systemic insecticides against sorghum shootfly. Atherigona caria Rond. in Israel. Israel J. Ent. 2, 171–176.
York G. T. (1972) Chemical control of sorghum shootfly in Nigeria. In Control of Sorghum Shootfly (Ed. by Jotwani M. G. and Young W. R.), pp. 235–240. Oxford & IBH, New Delhi.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Srivastava, K.P., Jotwani, M.G. Recent Advances in the Chemical Control of the Sorghum Shootfly. Int J Trop Insect Sci 2, 117–121 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1017/S1742758400002277
Received:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S1742758400002277