Insect Pest Complex on Cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var botrytis L.) and their Correlation with Weather Parameters in Medziphema, Nagaland

Abstract

Field experiment was conducted to study the insect pest complex and their incidence on cauliflower during rabi season of 2021-2022 in the Entomological farm, SASRD, Medziphema, Nagaland. Fourteen insect pests were found to attack the crop at different stages of crop growth. Out of these, Green peach aphid, Myzus persicae and Cabbage butterfly, Pieris spp. were considered as major insect pests of cauliflower. The peak population of Green peach aphid (8.74 aphids/leaf) and Cabbage butterfly (4.10 larva /plant) was observed on 17th December and 12th February, respectively. The population of Myzus persicae showed a non-significant negative relation with maximum (r = -0.320) and minimum (r = -0.311) temperature, while positive relation with maximum (r = 0.028) and minimum (r = 0.249) relative humidity as well as rainfall (r = 0.021). The population of Pieris spp. showed a non-significant negative correlation with maximum (r = -0.484) temperature, whereas a significant negative correlation was observed with minimum (r = -0.550) temperature. Correlation of relative humidity with the incidence of Pieris spp. exhibited a non-significant negative correlation with maximum (r = -0.078) and minimum (r = -0.162) relative humidity, while rainfall exhibited a non-significant positive correlation (r = 0.235).