Seasonal Incidence of Whitefly, Bemiciatabaci (aleyrodidae: hemiptera) on Different Genotypes of Okra, Correlated with Ecological Parameters

Abstract

Studies on the seasonal incidence of Whitefly, Bemiciatabaci, (Aleyrodidae: Hemipetra) on Okra were carried out in correlation with ecological parameters on the population build up of the pest. Studies revealed that the incidence of the Whitefly started in the third week of February and persisted throughout, on all the varieties. Whereas, the varieties ArkaAbhay (V1) and VRO-5 (V4), showed minimum build-up of Whitefly population throughout the season, showing maximum incidence in the month of April, as compared to the other varieties. The incidence started from the secondand fourthweek of March and, reached its peak in the second and first week of April and continued to decline till the maturation of the crop on the varieties, ArkaAbhay (V1) and VRO-5 (V4) respectively. The pest incidence was found to be maximum, when maximum and minimum temperature ranged from 41.10 to 20.700C and 40.50 to 18.300 C and relative humidity ranged from 61 to 15% and 57 to 14% on the varieties,ArkaAbhay (V1) and VRO-5 (V4) respectively.Positive and significant correlation existed between maximum temperature and negative and significant correlation existed between maximum relative humidity and Whitefly population on both the varieties.