Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

Vol 27, Issue 4, 2021; Page No.(1792-1797)

IMPACT OF ANTS ON NATURAL ENEMIES AND PLANT REPRODUCTIVE FITNESS IN COTTON, SESAME AND CASTOR

T. Nalini and M. Revathi

Abstract

The population of natural enemy was significantly highest in the treatment (ant excluded) in cotton hybrid, sesame variety and castor wild. The natural enemies were significantly low in wild in control (ant present) in all the three crops in the three genotypes. In all the three genotypes, the natural enemy number was lower in control (ant present) than the treatment (ant excluded). Plant reproductive fitness was significantly highest in the hybrid of cotton, variety of sesame and wild of castor in control (ant present) and it was significantly lowest in variety of cotton, castor and wild of sesame in treatment (ant excluded).