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large plot comparisons of plant densities under protected and pesticide-free
conditions. It has been reported that in Bulgaria, deep plowing gives considerable
reduction of the leaf miner populations (van der Maesen 1972). The effects of
this and other agronomic practices on pest-caused losses also need to be studied
at ICARDA.
The natural enemics can play an important role in limting pest populations.
Indiscriminate pesticide use can destroy the beneficiai fauna and eventually lead
to greater pest problems. It may be possible to augment the natural control
elements and some research in this area might be profitable.
The first essential, however, would be to obtain basic information on the
biology and ecology of the pests and their natural enemies in the present system
in this region. A cursory scan of literature has revealed a surprising lack of basic
information on the major chickpea pests. Until such information is available it is
not possible to plan for adequate pest management on this crop. The lack of
knowledge of the basic biology and ecology of the pests has also forced speculations
about the effect of winter sowing of chickpeas. A better knowledge would
have allowed model predictions for such a change.
It is necessary to accumulate data that will allow us measurements of the
impact of winter-sown crops on the insect pest populations. If there is an unusually
heavy attack of leaf miner on spring-sown chickpea or of Heliothisspp. on an:',
of the spring or summer crops in the next few years, there will be no shortage c.
people who will attribute the blame to the winter-sown chickpea development. It
is important to accumulate facts and knowledge that will allow scientists to
de'end t.s development against ill-informed criticism.
References
CUBERO, J.i. 1975. The research on the chickpea (Cicer arietinum) in Spain. Pages 103-106 in
Proceedings of the international Workshop on Grain Legumes, ICRISAT, 13-16 Jan., 1975,
Hyderabad, A.P., India.
GENTRY, J.W. 1965. Crop Insects of North East Africe - South West Asia. Agriculture Handbook
No. 273: USDA, ARS. Pub. 106 pp.
GIRAY, H. 1970. (Investigations on the morphological characters, brief biology and type ofdamage
of Liriomyza cicerina Rond. (Diptera: Agromyzidae) (inTurkish) Ege Univ. Ziraat. Fak. Izmir,
Turkey, No. 171, 34 pp.
HARIRI, G. 1979. Insect pests of chickpea and lentils inthe countries of the eastern Mediterranean:
A review. Pages 120-123 in Food Legume Improvement and Development (Hawtin G.C. and
Chancellor, G.J. cds.), ICARDA-IDRC Publication. 216 pp.
JAFFARI, J. 1975. The status of chickpea (Cicer arietinum) in Iran. Pages 103-106 inProc. intntl.
Workshop on Grain Legumes, 13-16 Jan. 1975, Hyderabad, A.P., India.
KAWAR, N.S. 1979. Insect pests of food legumes in the Middle East. P..6es 112-119 in Food
Legume Improvement and Development (Hawtin, G.C. and Chancellor. G.J. eds.), ICARDA-
IDRC Publication. 216 pp.