Monitoring of Helicoverpa armigera using pheromone traps and relationship of moth activity with larval infestation on carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus) in darjeeling hills

The pheromone trap monitoring revealed the period of moth activity of H. armigera from 3rd -4th week of February to 2rd - 3th week of May with a peak during 2nd -4th week of April in the carnation field in this region. Correlation studies between pheromone trap catches and corresponding field population pointed out that the larval count in the nth week registered significant positive association with the moth catch data of the preceding week i.e. (n-1)th week. The correlation coefficient between egg counts and pheromone trap catches, were also significantly positive.