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Experiment Background
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Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) or Bengal gram or gram, a major winter season pulse crop belonging to family ‘Fabaceae, is grown throughout the country and it acts as a major source of vegetable protein (Ray and Banerjee, 2021). It is major winter grown crop in general in India and consumed as ‘Dal’ split cotyledons and chhole. It is world’s third most important pulse crop and India contributes 80 per cent of the total world’s production. Gram production in India has been grown up from 38.55 lakh tonnes to 112.29 lakh tonnes during 2000-01 to 2017-18 and productivity was also increased steadily from 744 kg/ha to 1063 kg/ha (Anon., 2018a). India is the largest producer of chickpea with 67% of the global production and occupies nearly 31% of area in the country contributing over 37% to the national pulse production (Reena et al., 2009). Chickpea crop is attacked by a number of insect- pests from seedling to its maturity. Among them Gram pod borer, Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner) (Lepidoptera : Noctuidae) is a major and prominent pest in different chickpea growing areas of the country (Begum et al., 1992) and it is considered as major cause for low production of the crop (Shrivastava and Shrivastava, 1990). The gram pod borer is a potential and polyphagous pest, with various characteristic features like high fecundity, migratory behavior, high adaptations to various agro climatic conditions (Kambrekar et al., 2009). Worldwide losses due to this insect have been estimated over US $300 million annually (Kaur et al., 2007). In India, yield losses caused by H. armigera are in the range of 20-30% and sometimes rise to 75% (Rahman, 1989). In favourable condition, pod damage goes upto 90-95% (Shengal and Ujagir, 1990; Sachanand Katti, 1994). PI Industries Ltd Founded in 1946 and is engaged in the business of Agri inputs, Fine Chemicals, Polymers and Engineering Services. It is an Indian multinational Company, focused majorly on plant protection. PI Industries is today ranked amongst the top five Indian agrochemical manufacturers, marketers and exporters. The company operates in two distinct market segments: Domestic Agri Inputs (AI), which distributes crop protection chemicals and plant nutrients in the domestic market, and Custom Synthesis & Manufacturing (CSM), which carries out process research and manufacturing of chemical products for global agchem innovator companies. In agrochemicals, the company manufacture insecticides, fungicides and herbicides and provide these products in all over the world and work with a unique business model across the agchem value chain from R&D to distribution providing innovative solutions by partnering with the best. A pioneer firm in research and development of new pesticide molecules had developed a new Insecticide “PIX-10082 44% EW” against major pest of Chickpea especially for gram pod borer. Before launching the product in the market, the company is very much interested to evaluate the PIX-10082 44% EW for bio-efficacy and phytotoxicity on crop and effect on natural enemies and pod yield to chickpea crop.
Therefore, the present research proposal is submitted for bio-efficacy (against gram pod borer in chickpea) and phytotoxicity of this product in chickpea.
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