Seasonal abundance and impact of abiotic factors on major sucking pests of brinjal

Abstract

The study was carried out to find out the seasonal abundance and impact of abiotic factors on major sucking pests of brinjal. Brinjal variety BR-112 was transplanted on first fortnight of July, 2020 at Research Farm of the Department of Entomology, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar. The results revealed that the population of whitefly adults and nymphs, jassids, aphids and red spider mite on brinjal was initiated in 28th and 30th, 31st, 48th and 30th Standard Meteorological Week (SMW), respectively. The population build-up of whitefly adults arrived at peak in 42nd SMW when temperature (maximum and minimum) and relative humidity (morning and evening) were 34.2 and 13.7 0C and 76.4 and 22.2 per cent, respectively. The adults of whitefly showed significant positive correlation with maximum temperature while significant negative correlation with morning and evening relative humidity. Whereas jassid population attained its peak in 44th SMW when maximum and minimum temperature was 30.4 and 9.8 0C with 85.4 and 24.0 per cent morning and evening relative humidity, respectively. The peak of aphid population was recorded in 51st SMW when maximum and minimum temperature was 19.7 and 3.0 0C with 91.9 and 42.1 per cent morning and evening relative humidity, respectively. The correlation matrix indicated a significant negative correlation of jassid and aphid minimum temperature while jassid and aphid population recorded non-significant negative correlation with sunshine hours and rainfall. Red spider mite population attained its peak in 40th SMW when maximum and minimum temperature was 36.6 and 18.2 0C with 78.7 and 28.7 per cent morning and evening relative humidity, respectively. The temperature (maximum and minimum) and sunshine hours showed positive non-significant effect, while relative humidity exhibited significant negative correlation with on population build-up of red spider mite.