Population Dynamics of Castor Insect Pests in Relation to the Weather Parameters of Southern Telangana Zone

Abstract

Castor (Ricinus communis L.) is an important oilseed crop of dry land area with huge industrial importance. However, biotic stresses are becoming major bottleneck in yield improvement. In view of change in insect pest status in current agricultural scenario and fluctuations in climatic conditions will influence the incidence and severity of insect pests. Keeping in this point of view studies on pest population in relation to the weather parameters was carried out to assess the population fluctuations of insect pests of castor during kharif, 2020 at Regional Agricultural Research Station, Palem and relationship between pests and weather parameters. Which revealed that leafhoppers have shown positive significant association with maximum temperature (r=0.48) and negative significant with minimum temperature (r=-0.59), evening relative humidity (r=-0.56). and rainfall (r=-0.60). Thrips has negative significant association with rainfall (r=-0.65). Semilooper has a positive correlation with maximum temperature (r=0.17). Spodoptera litura exhibits positive significant relationship with maximum temperature (r=0.24), Percent capsule damage by capsule borer had a negative significant relation with maximum temperature (r=-0.49) and minimum temperature (r=-0.55).