Association of Agrometeorologists

Influence of weather parameters on the population dynamics of insect-pests of mango in West Bengal

S. K. SAHOO, A. SAHA and S. JHA

The insect-pests infestation in mango leads to severe injury to its’ shoots, flowers and fruits by hopper, leaf cutting weevil, shoot borer, grey weevil and fruit flies. The present investigation was taken up during 2006 and 2007 to study the population dynamics of prevailing five insect-pests of mango in relation to weather parameters. The correlation worked out between various pests and weather parameters of previous week and previous fortnight revealed highly significant correlation in most of the cases. Except shoot borer, which was significantly influenced by rainfall, all the other pests were significantly influenced by temperature related indices. Among all the weather parameters heat sum showed highest degree of correlation with fruit fly population.

Mango pests, population dynamics, weather parameters, correlation