STUDIES ON THE SEASONAL INCIDENCE OF FLEA BEETLE ON OKRA (ABELMOSCHUS ESCULENTUS L.) AND THEIR CORRELATION WITH WEATHER PARAMETERS.

Studies on seasonal incidence of flea beetle were carried out during post-kharif and pre-kharif seasons using the cultivar Bhindi No. 10. The results revealed that the activity of the flea beetle was more during pre-kharif season in comparison to post-kharif season. The peak incidence of flea beetle (1.37/plant) was observed in 47th meteorological standard week (MSW) during post-kharif season, and during pre-kharif season the peak incidence of flea beetle (1.40/plant) was observed in the 18th MSW. Weather played an important role in both post-kharif and pre-kharif seasons under study. During post-kharif season, flea beetle population had a significantly negative correlation with maximum and minimum temperature of all weeks. During prekharif season flea beetle population exhibited non-significant and positive influence with all environmental parameters of all the weeks except morning RH of 1-lag and 2-lag week which showed a negative and non-significant effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]