PRESENT STATUS OF PADDY INSECT PEST DIVERSITY IN GOA

Paddy is the important agriculture crop grown in Goa. Though some literature is available on diversity of insect pests of paddy in Goa, in them light of recent reduction in paddy cultivating area due to non availability of workforce, high cost of production combined with less profitability, large scale land conversions, drastic changes in cultivation methods, high yielding breeds etc., the scenario insect pests of paddy also have undergone a sea change, Hence, to identify any such change with regard to insect pest diversity, a state wide Survey, Collection and identification of the insect pests of paddy for two years was conducted. The results indicate there is a drastic reduction in the number of pest diversity apart from differences in insect pest load between kharif and rabi seasons.