​Pigeon Pea [Cajanus cajan (L.)]: New Promising Host of Lac [Kerria lacca (Kerr)] in Southern Rajasthan

Abstract

Background: Lac is a resin secretion of insects [Kerria lacca (Kerr)], which are commercially cultivated through ages. Lac cultivation has its roots in India and a major source of economy to the local populace. Though different lac hosts have been recorded in Rajasthan, but it is not cultivated commercially. Pigeonpea crop could be utilized for encouraging lac cultivation in the region and yield losses can be compensated by additional income received from lac resin. Methods: The experiment on “Studies on Economics and Yield Attributing Parameters of Lac Cultivation on Yield of Pigeonpea, Cajanus cajan (L.) in Southern Rajasthan” was conducted on Rangeeni strain of lac insect in Baisakhi season at lac insect gene bank cum garden situated at Department of Entomology, Rajasthan College of Agriculture, MPUAT, Udaipur during 2019-20 and 2020-21 respectively. The life cycle of Rangeeni strain of lac insect were studied on pigeonpea sown in last week of August in plot size measuring 2 × 10 sq m during Baisakhi season of both year. Result: The study revealed that the mean initial settlement density of lac insect on pigeonpea ranged from 67.53 to 84.20 with 4.27 to 5.27 (per sq. cm) mature female cell density during successive years. The mean per cent settlement was found to be the maximum (91.78 and 91.15%) at lower portion of the pigeonpea plant during respective years. The duration of sex differentiation ranged from 48.23 to 49.10 days for both successive years. The benefit cost ratio was also higher (1.95 and 2.09) in lac inoculated experiment then the sole seed crop (control) of pigeon pea (1.84 and 1.35) in season 2019-20 and 2020-21, respectively. All the parameter revealed that pigeon pea is economically efficient host for the Rangeeni strain of lac in agro-climatic region of southern Rajasthan.