Are Pandemics Bad for Business?

The field trial on the population dynamics of insect pests in okra during the Kharif season was conducted at the Organic Research Farm Karguaji, Department of Entomology, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Bundelkhand University, Jhansi (Uttar Pradesh) during the Kharif season (July to October 2022). Based on the observations, the population results are as follows, the White fly, Bemisia tabaci (Genn.), started in the 28th standard week (the second week of July) with an average of 1.83 white flies per plant and gradually increased, with a peak of 25.56 white flies per plant in the 37th standard week (the second week of September). Jassid, Amrasca biguttula biguttula, began in the third week of July, the 29th standard week, with an average of 1.45 jassids per plant and gradually increased, peaking at 11.09 jassids/plant during the 34th standard week (the third week of August). Infestations of the red cotton bug, Dysdercus cingulatus, began in the 33rd standard week (the third week of August) and gradually increased peaking at 16.53 adults/plant in the 39th standard week (the fourth week of September). Earias vitella, a shoot and fruit borer, was first observed in the 34th standard week (the third week of August), with an average of 0.83 larvae per plant. And gradually increased and peaked at 5.92 larvae per plant during the 37th standard week (September second week).

A study focusing on population dynamics of sucking and leaf-eating some insect pests along with their correlation with weather parameters in cucurbits was conducted at research field, Department of Entomology, Dr. YSPUHF, Solan, H.P., India from June-October, 2019 and 2020. The results revealed that Amrasca biguttula biguttula (I), Trialeurodes vaporariorum (W), Aulacophora foveicollis (L), Henosepilachna vigintioctopunctata (F), Liriomyza trifolii (B), Aulacophora sp., were recorded as the major insect pests. In bitter gourd, maximum population of jassids recorded was (2.33/leaf) in first week of August while, maximum whitefly population in bottle gourd (2.96/leaf) during last week of August and in ridge gourd during last week of July (3.76/leaf). The maximum red pumpkin beetle population on bitter gourd (2.4 beetles/plant) and bottle gourd (2.6 beetles/plant) was observed during last week of August while, hadda beetle attained peak population during first and third week of August in ridge gourd (1.0/plant) and bitter gourd (1.1 adults/plant), respectively. Maximum leaf miner infestation (2.7 mines/leaf) in bottle gourd and ridge gourd was observed during first and third week of August. All pest attained maximum population between 30 to 32 SMW when weather parameters values were Tmax: 27.50 to 28.90; Tmin: 20.60 to 20.80 oC; RH: 79 to 80 %; Rainfall: 25.80 to 30.20 mm. Relative humidity and rainfall played major role with non-significant positive influence on the population build-up of these pests in cucurbit crops along with temperature. The present findings on weather-driven pest dynamics can inform strategies to boost crop yields and reduce farmers' economic losses in similar environments.

Root injury by western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte, and northern corn rootworm, Diabrotica barberi Smith and Lawrence, larvae was evaluated in ten cornfields where adult densities had been monitored the previous August with cucurbitacin vial traps. Traps consisted of 60-ml perforated plastic vials containing an acetate strip coated with carbaryl and powdered squash with high levels of cucurbitacin, a feeding arrestant. Traps were attached to corn plants at ear height, and the beetles were collected and sexed at various intervals throughout the month of August. For all sampling intervals except the last week of August, female trap capture data explained a significant (P < 0.05) amount of variability in root injury the following summer. In contrast, the only case in which combined male and female trap capture explained a significant amount of variability was for the third week of August. However, even for this time interval, female trap data explained nearly twice as much variability as did total beetle capture. The best regression equations for predicting larval injury were based on mean female capture for the entire month of August (R2 = 0.77, n = 9, P < 0.01), mean female capture for the last 3 wk of August (R2 = 0.73, n = 10, P < 0.01), and mean female capture for the third week of August (R2 = 0.82, n = 10, P < 0.001). This study underscores the need to develop a trap that captures only female corn rootworms.

Investigations were carried out during Kharif, 2012 at Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Raipur (C.G.) on, the effect of different weather parameters on seasonal incidence of girdle beetle, lepidopterous caterpillars and sucking pests was observed.In this context, the peak activity of the girdle beetle was noticed during the first week of October which was associated with 31.9 0 C maximum temperature, 23.9 0 C minimum temperature, 91 per cent morning R.H., 56 per cent evening humidity, 9.2 mm rainfall and Sunshine hours 7.6 lux.The peak activity of total caterpillar pests (S. litura, C. acuta and H. armigera) was observed during third week of August with 30.2 0 C maximum temperature, 25.3 0 C minimum temperature, morning and evening R.H. 90 per cent and 78 per cent, a rainfall of 33.2 mm, respectively and sunshine hours 3.5 lux.The peak density of total sucking pests was observed during third week of August which was associated with 28.8 0 C maximum temperature, 24.8 0 C minimum temperature, morning and evening R.H. 93 per cent and 79 per cent, rainfall 106.8 mm, respectively, and sunshine hours 1.3 lux.The correlation coefficient between the predatory population and different weather parameters viz., maximum and minimum temperatures, morning and evening R.H., rainfall and sunshine hours was worked out and found to be nonsignificant. How to view point the article :

A field trial was conducted to find out the seasonal incidence of major insects pests of brinjal during August to December at Horticulture Farm, Rajasthan College of Agriculture, Udaipur. The investigation revealed that the incidence ofjassid (Amrasca biguttula biguttula Ishida) and white fly (Bemisia tabaci Gennadius) commenced after third week of August. The population of jassids touched the peak (15.87 jassids per 5 plants) during 1st-7th October at 28.25°C mean temperature and 65.65% relative humidity, whereas whiteflies reached the peak level during the 24th-30th September (34.76 white flies per 5 plants) with 25.55°C temperature and 65.20% relative humidity. The minimum population ofjassids and white flies were observed during the beginning of December (1.54 jassids per 5 plants) with 20.50°C temperature and 50.25% relative humidity and third week of August (1.43 white flies per 5 plats) at 26.45°C temperature and 73.8 relative humidity, respectively; whereas the incidence of brinjal shoot and fruit borer (Leucinodes orbonalis Guenee) appeared last week of September with 8.34% infestation on fruits at 25.55°C mean temperature and 65.20% relative humidity and incidence reached the maximum level (67.45%) during the last week of October with 24.4°C temperature and 48.25% relative humidity. The population of jassids and shoot and fruit borer was found non-significant negatively correlated with average relative humidity but jassids population positively correlated with temperature, whereas whiteflies population showed a positive significant correlation with relative humidity but non significantly negative correlation with temperature.

Trichomalopsis apanteloctena (Crawford) was found to be commonly associated with Apanteles sp. on Parnara guttata on paddy, causing its hyperparasitism from third week of August till October, during 2003-2005, in Kashmir valley. Three years' data indicated a total mean of 8.8 individuals of T. apanteloctena developing per cocoon cluster of Apanteles sp. that averaged 30.2. Per cent hyper parasitism and per cent cocoon cluster hyperparasitism were 20.1 and 44.51, respectively, and each of these parameters had a positive correlation with mean number of hyperparasitoids per cocoon cluster. The mean number of Apanteles sp. per cocoon cluster was, however, found to be negatively correlated with cocoon cluster hyperparasitism (r = -0.42*; d. f. = 19) and mean number of hyperparasitoids/ cocoon cluster (r = -0.44; d. f. = 19). Since the hyper parasitoids appeared late during third week of August each year, overall impact on the activity of Apanteles sp. was, therefore, insignificant except during October, which led to a noticeable decline both in mean number of Apanteles cocoon cluster-1 and per cent host larval parasitism.

A survey of certain neuropterous predators and the relative abundance of the important neuropterous predatory insects were studied by using a light trap during two successive years at Mansoura district.The obtained results recorded four neuropteruos predators trapped during the two years of study.These species belonging to two families : Chrysopidae and Myrmeleonidae.These predators were namely: Chrysoperla carnea (Steph.); Chrysopa septempunctata Wesm.; Cueta variegata Klug.and Palpares cephalotes Klug.The dominant species was C. carnea during the two years of investigation.The data showed that C. carnea had six peaks in the first year and five peaks in the second year of study.These peaks were recorded in the fourth week of March; fourth week of April; first week of June; third week of July; third week of August and second week of October; while in the second year these peaks were recorded in the first week of April; first week of June , first week of July, first week of August and fourth week of September, respectively.The obtained data revealed that C. septempunctata had four peaks in the first years and three peaks in the second years.These peaks were recorded in the first week of June, third week of July, fourth week of August and second week of October, respectively in the first year, Meanwhile, these peaks were found in the second year of study, in the first week June, first week of July and fourth week of August.The statistical analysis assured that, there was a highly positive significant correlations between the biweekly catch of C. carnea and C. septempunctata and temperature parameters during the two years of study.While, the relative humidity parameters had insignificant effect on the population density of the two predators during the two years of investigations.

Field experiments were conducted on cotton mealybug, Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley (Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha: Coccoidea: Pseudococcidae) which infested eggplant at Hihhya distract, Sharkia Governorate during two successive seasons 2015 and 2016. The population density, activity periods, the effects of some weather factors, number of insect generations and preferable leaf surface of of P. solenopsis were considered. The obtained results revealed that the total numbers of a live stages had four peaks of activity during the first season. They were in third week of June, third week of July, fourth week of August and second week of September. While, during the second season, three peaks of activity were noticed in the last week of June, first week of August and second week of September. The total effects of some weather factors such as maximum and minimum air temperature (˚C) and relative humidity percentage (R.H.%) showed positive significant relationship with the cotton mealybug population. P. solenopsis had three generations during the first and second seasons the first generation was taken seven weeks. While, the second and third generations took sex weeks. The first generation was during the period extended from the third week of May till the end of June, the second one took place from the first week of July till the second week of August and the third one was during the period extended from the third week of August till the third week of September. The insect pest preferred the lower leaf surface than the upper one during the first and second seasons.

The present experiment was conducted during rainy (kharif ) seasons of 2021–22 and 2022–23 at College of Agriculture, Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya, Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh to investigate the seasonal incidence of Chilo partellus and its correlation with weather parameters in the Gird region of Madhya Pradesh. The maize (Zea mays L.) variety RMH 1899 Super (Hybrid) was used for the experiment. The study revealed that the population of stem borer, C. partellus, larvae/plant was first recorded in early August during the 31st Standard Meteorological Week (SMW) and reached its peak in the third week of August during the 34th SMW. After the 41st SMW, no larvae were recorded in the crop during both years. From the 31st–36th SMW, the presence of dead hearts caused by C. partellus was noted, but no dead hearts were observed until the crops were harvested in both years. Additionally, plant damage due to C. partellus also began in the first week of August during the 31st SMW and reached a maximum in early September during the 36th SMW in both years. After the 41st SMW, no further plant damage occurred due to the reduced number of larvae in both consecutive years. During kharif 2021, the larval population of stem borer, dead heart % and plant damage % due to stem borer were significantly positively impacted by minimum temperature. During kharif 2022, the larval population of stem borer and plant damage % due to stem borer were significantly positively impacted by minimum temperature and evening relative humidity while none of the abiotic factors showed a significant correlation with the dead heart % in this year.

There is an increasing demand to use native grass species for revegetating disturbed sites such as logged clearcuts. The value of such species is closely linked with their ability to produce seed. We compared seed yield of three native Bromus species (Bromus carinatus Hook. & Arn., B. ciliatus L., and B. anomalus Rupr. Ex Fourn.) and three domestic forage species (B. riparius Rehm., B. inermis Leyss., and Dactylis glomerata L.) and tested the hypothesis that native species divert fewer resources to reproductive growth than do domestic grasses. Six experiments were conducted at five locations in western Canada to evaluate the potential for seed yield from native brome. Bromus carinatus seeds ripened, on average, the first week of August, similar to B. riparius and D. glomerata, while seed of B. anomalus and B. ciliatus ripened about the third week of August, similar to B. inermis. Seed yields were highly variable among sites and between years. Over all sites, yields among species were not significantly different (P = 0.05). Mean second-year yield was less than half of that of the first harvest year. Yields of 2–3 t ha−1 were found for B. anomalus, B. ciliatus and B. inermis at certain sites. Seed yields were positively correlated to inflorescence number m−2 in both harvest years and to harvest index in the first harvest year. Based on seed yields that were similar to B. inermis in this study, it should be possible to produce sufficient quantities of reasonably priced seed of native Bromus species for the revegetation industry. Key words: Smooth bromegrass, meadow bromegrass, orchard grass, Bromus sp., Dactylis glomerata

During the third Icebreaker ODEN expedition to the North Pole, Arctic Ocean 2001, the surface of open leads between the pack ice was investigated for physical parameters. The major purpose was to evaluate the occurrence of a surfactant microlayer in the leads. This was done by estimating sea-surface tension and collecting sea-surface microlayers in open leads (SMOL). Three collection methods used for SMOL were rotating drums covered with hydrophilic Teflon, thin hydrophobic Teflon sheets, and glass plates. Collections were successfully made at 14 stations between 21 July and 21 August 2001, at geo-positions between 86°29‘ N and the geographical North Pole. Surface tensions resembled surfactant-free seawater surfaces during the first 2 weeks of August but were depressed by 6−9 mN m-1 during the third week of August. Variations in SMOL physical properties were large between stations. Weather conditions and collection equipment functionality are discussed in relation to results.

Ambient air pollution is a significant contributor to disease burden, leading to an estimated 4.2 million premature deaths and 103.1 million disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) annually worldwide. As industrialization and urbanization surge in Asia, air pollution and its corresponding health issues follow suit. Findings on disease burden in developing countries are extremely scanty. This study aimed to determine the concentration of PM2.5 and its impact on respiratory health of outdoor workers in Malaysia. A 2-cycled 3-month cohort study involving 440 participants was conducted. Workers' health status was assessed via (1) Total Ocular Symptom Score (TOSS), (2) Total Nasal Symptom Score (TNSS), (3) St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGPQ), and (4) Asthma Control Test (ACT). The maximum PM2.5 concentration was measured at 122.90 ± 2.07µg/m3 during third week of August 2016. Meanwhile, the minimum concentration was measured at 57.47 ± 3.80µg/m3 and 57.47 ± 1.64µg/m3 during fourth week of July 2016 and first week of August 2017 respectively. Findings revealed that TOSS, TNSS, and SGPQ changes were significantly (p < 0.05) associated with the concentration of PM2.5. Outdoor workers were more significantly (p < 0.05) affected by changes in PM2.5 compared to indoor workers with a moderate correlation (r value ranged from 0.4 to 0.7). Ironically, no significant association was found between ACT assessment and PM2.5. Collectively, our findings suggested that changes in the concentration of PM2.5 threatened the respiratory health of outdoor workers. The existing policy should be strengthened and preventive measures to be enforced safeguarding health status of outdoor workers.

In Detroit the most severe and rapidly fatal forms of infantile diarrhea begin to make their appearance about the third week of August, reach a peak during September and become less frequent in early October. This curve corresponds closely to that observed in other cities having approximately the same climatic conditions. Despite the unusual and excessive heat of the early summer of 1930, comparatively few patients with diarrhea were admitted to the Children's Hospital until the last week of August; hence our studies have all been made over a rather brief period of about five weeks. During the time that we have been conducting our observations, there have been admitted to our ward patients suffering from diarrheas of all degrees of severity and of various etiology. We have experienced considerable difficulty in classification, because often it was practically impossible to make a definite statement as to the cause which, in

Investigations on incidence of cotton thrips (Thrips tabaci Lindeman) on Bt and non-Bt cotton hybrid were carried out at Main Cotton Research Station, Navsari Agricultural University, Surat (Gujarat) during Kharif, 2017-18. The thrips incidence initiated from fourth week of June and it continued till first week of December in Bt and non-Bt cotton. The peak activity of thrips was observed during third week of August in Bt hybrid and the higher fluctuation of thrips was observed during the second week of August to third week of September and first week of October. Thrips population had significant negative correlation with maximum temperature in Bt cotton. In case of non-Bt, the peak activity of thrips was found during first week of September. As far as association with abiotic factors was concerned, maximum temperature and bright sunshine hours had significantly negatively correlation, while minimum temperature and morning relative humidity were positively associated.

Investigations on the natural epizootics of Cladosporium cladosporioides (Fresenius) de vries were carried out on Okra grown at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore during 2010 and 2011. Observations on the incidence of mycosed mites were monitored continuously on okra at weekly interval during the study period. Occurrence of mycosis on Tetranychus urticae Koch due to C. cladsoporioides was high during third week of August 2010 (67.58%) followed by first week of August 2011 (47.24%), respectively. Fungal infection on mites had significant positive correlation with relative humidity and negative correlation with sunshine hours during the study period. An epizootic incidence of Cladosporium cladosporioides recorded on T. urticae is the first report from Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu.