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