INCIDENCE OF MAJOR SUCKING INSECT PESTS ON OKRA (Abelmoschus esculentus L.)

Abstract

The present experiment was conducted at field-1 and field-2 of Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University, Dinajpur, during May to August, 2016 to find out the incidence of sucking insect pests on okra. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD). Naturally occurring infestation was observed in this experiment. The incidence of aphid, jassid, whitefly and red cotton bug was observed considering per leaf and per plant. The incidence of major sucking insect pests was increased day by day but some fluctuations were occurred due to variable weather, environmental condition and physiological properties of soil. In case of field-1, the peak infestation of aphid, jassid, whitefly and red cotton bug per leaf was occurred on 16.07.2016, 20.07.2016, 12.07.2016 and 04.07.2016, respectively while in case of per plant the peak infestation was recorded on 16.07.2016, 20.07.2016, 12.07.2016 and 04.07.2016, respectively. In case of field-2 per leaf, the peak infestation of aphid, jassid, whitefly and red cotton bug was occurred on 20.07.2016, 20.07.2016, 20.07.2016 and 20.07.2016, respectively while in case of per plant, the peak infestation was occurred on 20.07.2016, 30.06.2016, 20.07.2016 and 20.07.2016 respectively. The mean number of major sucking insect pests per plant was statistically significant (aphid and jassid) between field-1 and field-2 although field-1 was more vulnerable to the attack of aphid and red cotton bug than that of field-2. Field-2 was more vulnerable to the attack of jassid & whitefly than that of field-1. The incidence of sucking insect pests was found in the following order: Aphid > Whitefly > Jassid > Red cotton bug (field-1) and Jassid > Aphid > Whitefly > Red cotton bug (field-2).