Abstract
The present study was conducted for three years (2012-13 to 2014-15) on sugar beet crop at PAU, Ludhiana to establish the relationship between weather parameters and insect pests infesting sugar beet crop. The observations on the incidence of insect pests recorded at weekly intervals were analyzed to correlate the effects of the abiotic factors on population of insect pests. Aphid, Myzus persicae Sulzer population showed negative correlation with maximum and minimum temperature and positive correlation with relative humidity. Spodoptera litura Fabricius and Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner) showed positive correlation with maximum and minimum temperature and negative with relative humidity. Regression analysis was also worked out between population of these insect pests infesting sugar beet.
Highlights
Weather affects the distribution and abundance of any species at both individual and population level affecting the insect migration, outbreaks through affecting physiology, behavior and population densities (Parmesan, 2007)
The incidence of insect pests on sugar beet was observed in 46th standard meteorological week (SMW) and continued till the 18th SMW of year in all the years under present study
Aphids were found to appear in 49th SMW and attained peak values (>1.00) during 6-9th SMW
Summary
Weather affects the distribution and abundance of any species at both individual and population level affecting the insect migration, outbreaks through affecting physiology, behavior and population densities (Parmesan, 2007). Sugar beet could be integrated in present cultivation schedule to obtain higher sugar productivity and for this goal, it is imperative to study the population fluctuations of insect pests on sugar beet in relation to weather parameters that determine the activity and abundance. The data on maximum and minimum temperature, rainfall and relative humidity (RH) during 2012-13 to 2014-15 was obtained from School of Climate Change and Agricultural Meteorology, PAU, Ludhiana during the months under study.
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