Influence of Environmental Factors on Population Fluctuation of Fruit Borer Infesting Chilli (Capsicum annum L.)

Author: L.S. Saini, H.P. Meghwal, B.K. Patidar, D. Parmar and M.S. Meena

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Abstract

In India, chilli fruit borer is a polyphagous pest that attacks a wide range of crops, including chillies. This pest is a major concern for agricultural practices in India and can cause substantial economic losses for farmers. The larvae of the chilli fruit borer feed on the flowers, buds, and developing fruit of chilli plants, leading to reduced yields and crop quality. Effectively addressing chili fruit borer infestations is a formidable task due to their rapid reproductive rate, capacity to develop resistance to pesticides, broad range of host plants, global distribution, and the intricate interplay of factors like temperature, humidity, and crop physiology that influence their population dynamics, so conduct a field experiment on population fluctuation of fruit borer (Spodoptera litura Fabricius) on chilli (Capsicum annum L.) crop was studied during October to March 2020-21, at experimental farm, Agricultural Research Station, Ummedganj, Kota (Rajasthan). The study revealed that the population of fruit borer (3.67 larvae/plant) was appeared after 13th week of transplanting of chilli seedling (3rd SMW). The fruit borer peak population (4.13 larvae/ plant) was observed in the 7th SMW (17th week after transplanting) when, maximum temperature, minimum temperature, morning relative humidity, evening relative humidity and rainfall (26.80°C, 10.30°C, 85.00 per cent ,63.00 per cent and 0.00 mm, respectively). Correlation of fruit borer larval population with weather parameters revealed that maximum temperature, minimum temperature, evening relative humidity and rainfall showed negatively correlated (r= -0.0212, -0.4538, -0.2887 and -0.2289, respectively), while, morning relative humidity was positively correlated (r= 0.0996).

Keywords

Chilli, Correlation, Fruit Borer, Peak, Population

Conclusion

The incidence of fruit borer (S. litura) was commenced in the 3rd week of January (3rd SMW) and touched it’s peak (4.13 larvae/plant) in the 2nd week of February (7th SMW). Correlation of fruit borer larval population with weather parameters revealed that maximum temperature, minimum temperature, evening relative humidity and rainfall showed negatively correlated.

References

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How to cite this article

L.S. Saini, H.P. Meghwal, B.K. Patidar, D. Parmar and M.S. Meena (2023). Influence of Environmental Factors on Population Fluctuation of Fruit Borer Infesting Chilli (Capsicum annum L.). Biological Forum – An International Journal, 15(9): 758-761.