Studies on Relative Abundance and Diversity of Insect Fauna in Cotton in Rajendranagar, Telangana, India

Abstract

The accurate documentation of insects is crucial for studying biodiversity and population dynamics. Given the resilience of the majority of insect species, proper sampling necessitates the utilization of suitable strategies for capturing specific insects. However, the diversity and types of insect species present in major crops cultivated in Rajendranagar remain poorly understood. Consequently, a comprehensive investigation of the diversity of different insect species in cotton crop was conducted during the period from September 2021 to February 2022 at College Farm. A total of 10,233 individuals from 47 families and 10 orders were documented. Among the orders, Hemiptera recorded the highest number of 4,256 individuals followed by Coleoptera (2,567), while the minimum number of individuals was observed in the order Neuroptera (12). Notably, the order Hemiptera exhibited the highest Shannon-Weiner index value (H = 1.78) and species richness (R = 0.963). However, evenness was found to be highest in Orthoptera (e = 0.826). Furthermore, the order Hemiptera displayed the highest relative abundance (RA) with a value of 41.59%, whereas Neuroptera exhibited the lowest relative abundance with a value of 0.12%.