Abstract

The cholam earhead bug, as the capsid bug is appropri- ately termed, has been known as a pest of Sorghum vulgare for well over 25 years; it infests the earheads, damages the setting grains and thereby causes loss in yield of the grain. In the Madras Presidency, it is seen in pest form, as a rule, in tracts like, Bellary, Cuddapah, Anantapur, Kurnool, Guntur and Coimbatore. It is known to occur in other provinces as well. Nowhere has it ever been recorded as a serious pest except in Mysore where it was reported to have appeared for the first time as a pest in some 'jowar' growing villages in 1936. Punjab, Burmah, Central Provinces, United Provinces, Hyderabad, etc., do grow sorghum on an extensive scale but this insect has not been recorded as a pest so far. Due to the periodic appearance of the pest and extensive damage caused to the irrigated sorghums raised in March-April, investigation was first started in 1914. Ballard (1916) published the results of preliminary investigations in the form of a bulletin. Subsequently, more detailed investi- gations were carried out from 1934-37 at Guntur and. Coimbatore, the results of which are embodied in this paper.

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