Population dynamics of major sucking pests of hybrid cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) in Western Undulating Zone of Odisha

The field experiment was conducted during kharif 2013–14 and 2014–15 in the research farm of the AICRP on Cotton under the Regional Research and Technology Transfer Station (OUAT), Bhawanipatna situated in the Western Undulating Agroclimatic Zone of Odisha to study the population dynamics of major sucking pests of hybrid cotton. During kharif 2013–14, the highest population of aphids (30.68 aphids/3 leaves), jassids (23.92/3 leaves), whitefly (2.04 whitefly/3 leaves) and thrips (5.9/3 leaves) were observed during 38th, 42nd, 44th and 37th standard week, respectively. During kharif 201415, the highest incidence of aphids (33.32/3 leaves), jassids (23.64/3 leaves), thrips (5.24/3 leaves) and whitefly (2.20/3 leaves) was noticed during 39th, 43rd, 38th and 45th standard week, respectively. The aphids population had significantly positive correlation with maximum temperature, minimum temperature and evening relative humidity and non-significantly positive correlation with morning relative humidity and rainfall during 2013–14. During 2014–15, there was significantly positive correlation with minimum temperature and non-significantly positive correlation with all other weather parameters. The jassids population showed non-significantly positive correlation with all weather factors during 2013–14 and 2014–15 except minimum temperature and rainfall during 2014–15 when it showed non-significantly negative correlation. During both the years whitefly population showed non-significantly positive correlation with all weather parameters except rainfall during 2013–14 and minimum temperature during 2014–15 when it showed non-significantly negative correlation. The thrips population was significantly and positively correlated during 2013–14 and nonsignificantly and positively correlated during 2014–15 with all the weather parameters.