J. Bio. & Env. Sci.

2017

Journal of Biodiversity and Environmental Sciences (JBES)

ISSN: 2220-6663 (Print) 2222-3045 (Online)
Vol. 11, No. 4, p. 157-163, 2017
http://www.innspub.net

RESEARCH
RESEARCH PAPER OPEN ACCESS

Effect of different pests on the crop of Brassica Oleracea

(Cauliflower) in Faisalabad

Safi Ur Rehman Qamar*1, Haroon2, Arfa Saif3, Muhammad Saqlain Raza4

1,2
Department of Zoology, Wildlife and Fisheries, Faculty of Science, University of Agriculture Faisalabad,
Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan
3
Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
4
Department of Animal Sciences, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-e-Azam University Islamabad,
Islamabad, Pakistan

Article published on October 30, 2017

Key words: Cauliflower, Damage, Faisalabad, Pest

Abstract
Plants are the primary producers on which all the living organisms depends. Most important vegetable is
Brassica Oleracea (Cauliflower), not only eaten by the people of Faisalabad, Pakistan but also famous in
neighboring countries including India and Bangladesh. When a pest attacks on cauliflower crop, it damages plant
leaves that results in decreases rate of photosynthesis hence results in low yield of crop. Major pest of cauliflower
are Pieris brassicae (American Sundi). Pieris brassicae (American Sundi) damages the leaves and fruit of
Brassica Oleracea (Cauliflower) by boring holes. Total estimate damage on crop production must be studied
through survival study.
*Corresponding Author: Safi Ur Rehman Qamar  [email protected]

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Introduction No studies have been done so far on pests that can be

Herbivores including humans cannot survive without found in the field of cauliflower in the district
plants. Plants are the more diverse group on which Faisalabad. Pakistan is an agricultural country that is
almost every organism depend. Plants are the developing its status in many field of life science but
important component of ecosystem because they most importantly agriculture. Most of the food items
produce oxygen for us, responsible for rain and for and food products are dependent on agricultural
cleaning our environment by absorbing carbon crops, as in case of cauliflower. People of Pakistan
dioxide. We get precious and valuable things from love to eat this delicious vegetable. If the crop of this
plants like wood, oils, gums and use their leaves for vegetable attacked by pests the importing of
curing disease. cauliflower to other countries my effect the economy
of Pakistan.
Begin herbivore we depend on vegetables to get
variety of food including cauliflower. Green leave During their season of vegetation many fungal, viral
vegetables provide us calcium, potassium, minerals and bacterial diseases attack on the fields of
and nutrients required by our body. Cauliflower is full
cauliflower. Many insects and pests also attack on the
of nutrients it almost has zero cholesterol. These
newly grown as well as old plants of cauliflower.
crops are the most valuable source of proteins, fats,
These insects and pests attack on plant is due to
minerals and vitamins. Some vegetables contain
getting food and completing their reproductive cycle.
fibers which are helpful in proper functioning of
This results in economic loss of many farmers.
intestine and stomach.

The organisms which affect plants, vegetables and try

Brassica Oleracea (Cauliflower) is vegetated in
to compete with humans in any respect is termed as
Faisalabad during the start of winter season. It is very
pest. Most of the pests show a phenomenon during
delicious when cooked with proper ingredients.
their developmental stages called as metamorphosis.
Cauliflower is consisted of three parts: head, leaves
It means pest change shape and form during its
and stalk. Its head is used for eating while its stalk
developmental stages. Larval stage of any pest is crop
and leaves are considered as a great source of manure
damaging stage because during this stage larva must
for plats. Cauliflower is grown in different villages of
eat as many as it can. This over eating process lead to
Faisalabad i.e. 204 R.B, 208 R.B, 209 R.B, 200 R.B.
the change in shape of lava to pupa. As the
The soil of these villages is very fertile, moister
international trade increase, it also increases the
holding and has proper nutrients which are required
chances of introduction of exotic pests that affect
for better growth of this vegetable.
economic loss in agriculture. Hundreds of types of

Brassica Oleracea (Cauliflower) grown best on the pests are responsible for damage of vegetables (Bhat

soil of PH ranging between 6 to 6.5 (Girish et al., Deen Mohammad et al., 2011).
2010). Cauliflower have low contents of cholesterol,
saturated fats while have high contents of vitamin A, This study highlights the major pests that are

vitamin C, vitamin K, vitamin B6, Calcium, Iron and responsible for damaging the cauliflower crop, which

magnesium (Mochiah et al., 2001; PK Baidoo et al., results in economic as well as food loss. The study

2011). Cauliflower contains natural antioxidants due identified two major pests (Pieris brassicae

to their high levels of phytochemicals (Murillo G, (American Sundi), grasshopper) that are highly
Mehta RG., 2001). Cauliflower is useful in reducing responsible for crop damage. The attack of these two
ratio of brest, lung and colon cancer (Liu X, Lv K., pests can be seen easily during early vegetation
2012). Cauliflower also prevents cancer from period, when the plant is germination and developing
reoccurring (Murillo G, Mehta RG., 2001). fruit in its flower.

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Material and method

Area of study
We started our study from visiting the fields of
cauliflower in our selected study areas. We selected
204 R.B village, 208 R.B village, 209 R.B village and
200 R.B village of Faisalabad.

District due to its fertile soil and large production of

cauliflower in these areas Fig. 1. Out of these areas,
204 R.B village is famous to produce delicious
Fig. 1. Map of study area (District Faisalabad).
cauliflower.

Collection of samples
Due to its delicious taste the cauliflower of 204 R.B is
A unique sampling technique is used to collect
famous worldwide and exported out of country
samples from different fields of cauliflower by
especially Saudi Arabia.
inspecting leaves, stems and head of cauliflower
thoroughly. We collected most of the samples from
This study includes the information collected through
204 R.B village. Fig. 2. After collection, samples are
samples and by interviewing farmers. Farmers use brought in the laboratory of department of Zoology,
different techniques, pesticides and insecticides to Wildlife and Fisheries, University of Agriculture
reduce the damage of pests on the vegetated crop of Faisalabad for the identification of pests by expert
cauliflower. entomologist Fig. 3.

Fig. 2. Effected leaves and Head (Fruit) of cauliflower.

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Fig. 3. Pieris brassicae (American Sundi) attached with leaf of cauliflower (Right Picture) while grasshopper
attached with stalk of cauliflower (Left Picture).

Material of study active in the morning and evening as compare to

Our focus is to study the effect of pests on cauliflower noon because at that time temperature is relatively
field. There for our study material is Brassica low. Larva damage leaves primarily by eating the
Oleracea (Cauliflower) Fig. 4. green part of leave and leave veins of leaf as it is.
Secondly larva entered the fruit of cauliflower which
results in damage of crop. The size of larva is small
and round. When larva start eating it make tiny holes
in the host leaves Fig. 2.

Most of the damage in the crop of cauliflower is

observed during early developmental stages of plant.
This damage reduces the rate of plant growth as well
as its fruit production capacity. When we see the
geography and climate conditions of 204 R.B village,
it seems that the environment is favorable for the
growth and reproduction of different pest especially
Fig. 4. Brassica Oleracea (Cauliflower). Pieris brassicae (American Sundi) and grasshopper.
Their effect can be controlled by proper monitoring
Observations especially during the early growth of plant. Farmers
This field study was done in the village 204 R.B of use insecticides and pesticides during early growth of
Faisalabad district during the vegetation season of plant. They scheduled in such a way that in every
cauliflower from the start of September to the mid month they sprayed 3 times on crop of cauliflower to
October. Samples are collected in the morning, noon prevent the production of pest larva. The recorded
and evening time respectively. As the pest is more observations are mentioned in the Table 1.

Table 1. Observed pest in the crop of cauliflower.

Crop Pest observed Effect on crop
Brassica Oleracea 1. Grass hopper 1. Grasshoppers eat fruit of cauliflower from
(Cauliflower) 2. Pieris brassicae (American Sundi) different places leaving hole in fruit see Fig.
2.
2. American sundi eat leaves and leave just
veins and make holes in it see Fig. 2.

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Results and discussion We found, cauliflower is attacked majorly by Pieris

Fresh and affected samples of cauliflower were brassicae, secondly by grasshoppers. To determine
collected from the field during the vegetation season. the total damage on the crop by these pests needs
We identified two major pest that are responsible for detailed survival study.
damage in the cauliflower fields. These pests are
Pieris brassicae (American Sundi) and grasshopper. References
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 J. Bio. & Env. Sci. 2017
ISSN 2220-6663 (Print)
ISSN 2222-3045 (Online)

Journal of Biodiversity and Environmental Sciences

Volume 11, Number 4, October 2017

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