ABSTRACT

Investigations on documentation of crop viral diseases with special reference to chilli, along with associated studies on extent of leaf curl in popular chilli cultivars and management of chilli leaf curl using neem cake amendment, conducted at UAS, Dharwad, MARS, Farm have been studied in the present research. About 11 crop viral diseases transmitted by insects have been documented in the present study. Among these, chilli leaf curl popularly known as “Chilli murda” was serious vector born viral disease with 40.2 % disease incidence due to feeding damage by vectors which are sucking pests. The important insect vectors observed were aphids, thrips, whiteflies and mites during the course of studies. Besides chilli leaf curl, the other vector borne viral diseases documented in the present study are 1) Mung bean Yellow Mosaic Virus (MYMV), 2) Mung bean Yellow Mosaic Virus (MYMV) in soybean, 3) Urd bean Leaf Crinkle Virus (ULCD) in green gram, 4) Sesamum phyllody, 5) Groundnut Bud Necrosis Virus (GBNV), 6) Okra Yellow Vein Mosaic Virus (OYVMV), 7) Little Leaf of Brinjal (LLB), 8) Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus (TSWV), 9) Sunflower Necrosis Virus (SNV) and 10) Bean Common Mosaic Virus (BCMV). In studies on severity of chilli leaf curl, all the three popular cultivars, Byadagi dabbi and Sarpan hybrids proved to be equally susceptible, as indicated by pest density and degree of leaf curl. In another field experiment conducted to evaluate the effect of graded levels of neem cake, it was revealed that 750 kg/ha dose of neem cake (along with FYM and biorational sprays) proved to be significantly superior in managing sucking pests of chilli which registered highest net returns, being on par with standard check. Also, neem cake soil amendment supported maximum predatory populations in crop eco-system, them being generalist predators on sucking pests of chilli.