Interrelationship between abiotic factors and incidence of Bemisia tabaci and Chromatomyia horticola on gerbera and their management under polyhouse in Kashmir

Abstract

A study carried out in an experimental unit of the Division of Floriculture and Landscaping Architecture, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir, Srinagar, under polyhouse conditions during 2020-2021 revealed peak whitefly incidence on gerbera during 28th SMW (3.55 whiteflies leaf−1 and 16.5 whiteflies flower−1) at a mean maximum temperature of 37.7°C, while the leaf miner incidence peaked in 22nd and 23rd SMW (0.3 grubs/pupae leaf−1) at a mean maximum temperature of 28.2°C and 32.6°C, respectively. Correlation studies revealed whitefly and leaf miner populations to be highly significantly and positively correlated with temperature, while negatively correlated with R.H. While testing the efficacy of various treatments against whitefly and leaf-miner, acetamiprid 20% SP @ 0.5 g L−1 was found to be the most effective treatment against both pests.