Population dynamics of natural enemies of Plutella Xylostella and Pieris Brassicae On cauliflower Mahendran B., Sharma R.K.*, Sinha S.R. Division of Entomology, ICAR- Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, 110012 *corresponding author Email: rksharma57@gmail.com
Online published on 4 January, 2018. Abstract The present study was conducted at the research farm of Division of Entomology, Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi during cropping season 2012–13 and 2013–14. Weekly observations on larval and pupal population of diamond back moth Plutella. xylostella (L.) and Pieris brassicae (L.) and their % parasitism were recorded. Initial infestation of P. xylostella was observed during 52nd meteorological week, with a mean density of 1.27 to 1.30 larvae and pupae/10 plants; while P. brassicae was observed little later, with nil rainfall, a temperature of 6.9- 11.3°C, 75.7 to 82.9 RH and sunshine hours of 1.4 to 2.1. During 2012–13 and 2013–14, peak parasitisation of P. xylostella was recorded on 10th (39.90%) and 11th (42.22%) meteorological weeks, and that of P. brassicae was on the 9th (86.76%) and 10th meteorological week (84.11%). The larval parasitoid, Cotesia plutellae on P. xylostella and C. glomerata and on P. brassicae were found to be predominant. Parasitisation and weather parameters together could cause 68.5 to 77.8% and 72.7 to 79.2% variation in P. xylostella and P. brassicae incidence, respectively. Top Keywords Cauliflower, diamond back, cabbage butterfly, parasitism, Cotesia plutellae, C. glomerata, abiotic factors, natural control, meteorological weeks, incidence. Top |