Population Dynamics of the Bean Spider Mite, Tetranychus ludeni Zacher (Acari:Tetranychidae) under Climatic Conditions in Cowpea Field

Abstract

Field trial was conducted in the summer season on cowpea crop during 2024 for population dynamic of the bean spider mite, Tetranychus ludeni Zacher at Hi-tech Horticulture, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University, Pusa, Samstipur, Bihar. An attempt was made to correlate the effect of weather factors on the incidence and population dynamics of the bean spider mite on cowpea. The population dynamics of the bean spider mite, Tetranychus ludeni Zacher, had a significant negative impact on cowpea production. Observations of the mite population were recorded at weekly interval. The data revealed that the mite population were commenced first on 1st week of April, 2024 (14th SMW) 0.80 mite leaf-1 to July, 2024 (28th SMW) and reached its peak of 44.43 mites leaf-1 on 20th SMW in the month of May, 2024. The mite population exhibited a positive significant correlation with the average temperature, while showing a negative and non-significant association with the average relative humidity and total rainfall. The regression equation for the data, with a population(Y) as the dependent variable and weather factors as the independent variables, was as follows a determined coefficient of determination (R2). Based on the calculation, the coefficient value (R2) derived as 0.654 which suggested that 65% of the fluctuations in the bean spider mite population were attributed to the impact of abiotic factors.