Arthropod Pests of Chilli and Associated Natural Enemies in Kymore Plateau and Satpura Hill Zone of Madhya Pradesh (India)

Abstract

The survey was conducted in selected districts of Kymore Plateau and Satpura Hills zone of Madhya Pradesh (India) to assess the pest status of chilli during 2017-18 and 2018-19 rabi season. Crop was monitored at vegetative, flowering, and fruiting stages in four selected locations (pesticide-free fields) of seven districts viz., Seoni, Jabalpur, Katni, Rewa, Satna, Panna, and Sidhi. The pest spectra included four insect pests and a mite species namely, whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius), thrips, Scirtothrips dorsalis Hood, leafhoppers, Amrasca biguttula biguttula (Ishida), fruit-borer, Helicoverpa armigera Hubner, and a mite species, Polyphagotarsonemus latus (Banks); one species of predator, transverse ladybird beetle, Coccinella transversalis Fabricius. The incidence of Leaf curl disease was also observed. The pooled mean population of B. tabaci in Seoni, Jabalpur, Katni, Rewa, Satna, Panna, and Sidhi was 2.86, 2.45, 2.67, 2.79, 2.90, 2.86, and 2.70 individuals/ 10 cm twig, respectively at the flowering stage. Mean population of S. dorsalis was 1.65, 1.48 and 1.34 individuals/ 10 cm twig at flowering stage in Jabalpur, Katni and Panna, while, in Seoni, Rewa, Satna and Sidhi, it was 1.37, 1.35, 1.34 and 1.48 individuals/ 10 cm twig, respectively at fruiting stage. Population of A. biguttula biguttula was 3.14, 3.80, 3.49, 3.14, 3.18, 3.40, and 2.98 individuals/ 10 cm twig at fruiting stage. P. latus population was 0.86, 1.01, 0.92, 0.99, 0.95, 1.13 and 0.96 mites/ leaf at fruiting stage. H. armigera population was 1.13, 0.43, 0.53, 0.62, 1.28, 0.86 and 1.19 larvae/ plant at fruiting stage. Populations of C. transversalis were 1.80, 2.25, 2.32, 1.85, 1.88, 2.36, and 1.67 beetles/ plant at the fruiting stage. The leaf curl (% leaf infestation) incidence was 27.28, 32.43, 33.33, 28.45, 36.03, 25.53, and 36.19 % at the fruiting stage in the mentioned districts of the zone.

Seasonal Incidence of Major Insect Pests of Chilli and Their Correlation with Weather Parameters

“…Due to different agro-climatic conditions between regions, insects show different trend in the incidence and extent of crop damage. For effective pest control, studying the impact of various factors responsible for population fluctuations can help predict their occurrence in a particular area [11,12,13]. The study on seasonal incidence of major insect pests of chilli were lacking under Assam condition of India and was undertaken to give an insight on the peak activities of the insect pests.…”