Seasonal occurrence of pulse pod borer Helicoverpa armigera (L.) on chick pea at central U.P. region

Gram pod borer, Helicoverpa armigera is the most damaging pest where pulse crop is grown. The incidence of the pod borer, Helicoverpa armigera Hubner in chick pea commenced from second week of December and sowing dates with its initial intensity of 2-0.4 larva/m row length which increased subsquently upto second week of January. The larval populations increased average temperature and relative humidity varied between 19.1 to 26.91 0c at 51.42 to 65.85 percent during March respectively which suported the pest multipication in reaching well above the threshols level highily significant correlation (r=0.7012to –o.7737). Rainfall and wind velocity exhibited insignificant negative (r=0.1570 to 0.4342) impect of the pest population. However the evoparation rate could paly significant role postive role ( r=0.5405 to 0.7007) on the pest intesity when the crop sown 3rd week November. Thus, the average temperature, relative humidity, evaporation rate and sunshine hours ranging between 19.1 to 29.910c, 51.42 to 65.850c percent 0.972 to 1.8 mm/ day and 6.92 to 9.14 hours / day were found conducive for the pest multiplication of gram pod borer, respectively. These results are in accordance with those of Dahiya et al. (1997), who reported that temperature between 19 to 280c and relative humidity 51 to 58 percent, were conducive for multiplication of gram pod borer (H. armigera) in chickpea.