Foliage feeding pests on potato in Northern Kashmir

Observations were undertaken at Baramulla, Kupwara and Bandipora districts for two cropping seasons in 2011 and 2012. Incidence of insect pests revealed that foliage feeding pests appeared in 1st to 2nd week of May and attained peak in June in plains and midhills. Whereas, at high hills the pests appeared by the end of May to 1st week of June with peak incidence being from June to 1st week of July. The overall incidence was 57.77% at Yarikha (Baramulla) and Budnambal (Kupwara) followed by 23.33% at Gurez (Bandipora) in case of flea beetle. The least incidence (7.77%) was at Sumbal (Bandipora) for semilooper, which were absent at Budnambal (Kupwara) and Gurez (Bandipora). Pooled means revealed maximum severity (20.56%) for flea beetle (Scale 2) and the least at 5.06% (Scale-1) was observed at Yarikha (Baramulla); it was 24.81% and maximum (Scale 2) at Budnambal (Kupwara). 11.03% incidence for semilooper was the lowest (Scale 1) at Handwara (Kupwara) and 18.12% for flea beetle (Scale 1) at Gurez (Bandipora). It was 5.12% for semilooper as lowest (Scale 1) at Ajas location of Bandipora district.