Alok, Gaje Singh, Rajendra Singh, Hem Singh, Prashant Mishra, Sandeep Kumar, Arunima Tiwari and Narne Kavya
Abstract
The present investigation was conducted to study the effect of weather parameters on the infestation of yellow stem borer, Scirpophaga incertula (Walker), in basmati rice. Results revealed that the peak period of pooled maximum dead hearts (8.61%) across both cropping seasons was recorded during the 37th standard week. Thereafter, the infestation declined gradually, but it increased again at the reproductive stage of the crop, with the pooled maximum white ear infestation (5.66%) observed in both seasons during the 39th standard week. Correlation studies on dead hearts with weather parameters showed a positive, though non-significant, correlation with minimum temperature (r = 0.453NS), morning relative humidity (r = 0.290 NS), evening relative humidity (r = 0.460 NS), and rainfall (r = 0.355NS), while a negative non-significant correlation was recorded with maximum temperature (r = â0.206 NS). In the case of white ear infestation, a significant negative correlation was observed with minimum temperature (r = â0.568*), morning relative humidity (r = â0.624**), evening relative humidity (r = â0.688**), and rainfall (r = â0.540*), whereas the correlation with maximum temperature (r = 0.108NS) was non-significant.