M.S. Meena, H. P. Meghwal, L. S. Saini, H. Swami and S. Bhateja
Abstract
The study focused on the population dynamics of the whitefly (Bemisia tabaci) and jassid (Amrascabiguttula biguttula) affecting black gram (Vigna mungo L.) crops. The investigation spanned from July to October 2020 and took place at the experimental farm of the Agricultural Research Station in Ummedganj, Kota, Rajasthan. The findings from the study indicate that the whitefly population first appeared during the 1st week of August (31st SMW), registering a mean population of 0.26 whiteflies per 5 plants. The population reached its peak (12.53 whiteflies per 5 plants) in the 1st week of September (36th SMW). The infestation demonstrated a positive correlation with morning relative humidity (r = 0.26) and evening relative humidity (r = 0.60), as well as with rainfall (r = 0.10) and minimum temperature (r = 0.39). In contrast, there was a negative correlation with the maximum temperature (r = -0.48). In the case of jassid population, the initiation of incidence (0.13 jassid per 5 plants) began after the 1st week of August (31st SMW), reaching its peak population (4.8 jassid per 5 plants) after the 4th week of August (35th SMW). The infestation exhibited a positive correlation with morning relative humidity (r = 0.15) and evening relative humidity (r = 0.37), as well as with rainfall (r =0.45) and minimum temperature (r=0.46). Conversely, there was a negative correlation with the maximum temperature (r = -0.59).