Association of Agrometeorologists

Impact of climatic factors on infestation of leaf eating caterpillar (Mentrysia hyrtica) of cashew in Chhattisgarh

K.R. SAHU, B.P. KATLAM and J.L. CHAUDHARY

A survey was conducted in randomly selected trees in adult cashew plantation of district Jagdalpur (C. G.) during 2003-04, 2004-05 and 2005-06. The infestation of leaf caterpillar was recorded and correlated with the corresponding weather parameters. The seasonal infestation of leaf eating caterpillar on cashew was recorded throughout the year. The infestation of this insect was found to very from year to year. The climatic factors minimum temperature, relative humidity (evening) and rainfall positively influenced the variation in leaf caterpillar damages. The multiple regression analysis indicated that maximum temperature negatively contributed 27% towards incidence of leaf caterpillar damages.

Cashew, leaf caterpillar (LC), weather parameters