ESTIMATING THE POTENTIAL OF VARIOUS HARBORING SITES OF PINK BOLLWORM (PECTINOPHORA GOSSYPIELLA) IN RELATION TO ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS

Pectinophora gossypiella is the most potential pest among all bollworms of cotton crop. Studies were conducted to find the Pink Bollworm (PBW) moths population in pheromone traps installed near different harboring sites. Pink Bollworm larvae overwinter in cotton seeds or in soil. From these sources moth emerges, that affect the next season crop. The sex pheromone traps charged with Gossyplure [(Z, Z) and (Z, E) 7, 11 hexadecadienyl acetate] were installed on four potential sites of PBW to catch the moths. Data regarding PBW moths catch in sex pheromone traps were recorded on weekly basis while metrological factors effecting PBW moths catch were recorded on daily basis. Relationship between the moths catch and weather factors were computed by simple correlation. The results concluded that maximum mean moths catch were recorded in those traps that were installed near cotton sticks heaps i. e 85.61 followed by cotton field 24.47. The lowest average number of moths catch was captured in traps of cotton seed store 1.22. The highest moths mean population 3.87 was trapped in the month of September from cotton field traps, however no moth was recorded during the month of December among all the sites.  The moths catch in traps installed near cotton sticks heaps site has positive correlation with mean maximum and minimum temperature while has non-significant correlation with relative humidity and rainfall. Cotton sticks heaps are the major harboring sites of PBW infestation to the successive cotton crop.