Abstract

Okra crop was found infested with sucking insect pests, these are, whitefly (Bemisia tabaci), leafhopper (Amrasca bigutulla bigutulla) and aphid (A. gossypii) during 2008. A thorough knowledge of seasonal activity of different insect pests determines the predisposing climatic factors affecting their population dynamics. The study was carried out in the Rajaula Farm of Mahatama Gandhi Chitrokoot Gramodya Vishwvidyalay (MGCGV), Chitrakoot, Satna, M. P. The observations on aphid, whitefly and leafhopper and natural enemy incidence was carried out simultaneously on 5 randomly selected plants per plot, taking 6 leaves, that is, 2 each from upper, middle and lower strata. Aphid population showed negative correlation with minimum and mean temperature, rainfall and maximum and minimum relative humidity whereas, positive correlation with maximum temperature and coccinellids. Aphidophagous predators like coccinellids appeared more or less with aphid population. The coccinellids showed negative correlation with maximum, minimum and mean temperature, rainfall and maximum and minimum relative humidity. Whitefly and leafhopper population showed negative correlation with maximum, minimum and mean temperature and maximum and minimum relative humidity whereas positive correlation with rainfall.

Key words: Okra, sucking insect pests, population dynamics, natural enemies.