Seasonal abundance of lepidopteran pests infesting cabbage in relation to weather parameters* Patait D.D., Shetgar S.S., Subhan S., Badgujar A.G., Dhurgude S.S. Department of Agricultural Entomology, College of Agriculture, Latur-413512. *Part of M.Sc. (Agri.) dissertation submitted by senior author to Marathwada Agricultural University, Parbhani during 2007. Abstract The population of Crocidolomia binotalis (Zeller), Hellula undalis (Fabricius), Plutella xylostella (Linnaeus) and Spodoptera litura (Fabricius) on cabbage varied from 3.8 to 44.0, 1.0 to 6.2, 0.6 to 1.6 and 0.6 to 3.2 and 1.0 to 5.0, 1.0 to 1.6, 1.6 to 20.4 and 0.2 to 1.0 larvae/quadrat during rainy and winter seasons 2006–07, respectively. During rainy season 2006, the population of Trichoplusia ni (Hubner) ranged from 0.6 to 6.0 larvae/quadrat. During rainy season, the population of C. binotalis, P. xylostella and Trichoplusia ni to the maximum extent was influenced positively by forenoon relative humidity and negatively by minimum temperature. However, the population of H. undalis and S. litura was affected positively by the action of minimum temperature and rainy days and negatively by forenoon relative humidity and rainfall. During winter season the population of C. binotalis and P. xylostella was affected positively due to the action of afternoon relative humidity and maximum temperature and negatively by the action of forenoon relative humidity and minimum temperature. The forenoon relative humidity and maximum temperature showed positive and negative effect on the population of H. undalis, respectively. The population of S. litura was influenced positively by forenoon relative humidity and negatively by minimum temperature and afternoon relative humidity. Top Key words Lepidopteran pest, cabbage, seasonal abundance, weather parameters. Top |