author(s)
Bismillah Shah, Kamran Sohail, Numan Nisar, Nazeer Ahmed

abstract
To study the screening of two varieties of spinach against grasshopper under field condition, the present research work was conducted at the New Developmental Farm (NDF) of The University of Agriculture, Peshawar in December 2014. Spinach is an edible flowering plant. Spinach occupies a good position among the vegetables due to its high nutritional value. There are certain insect pests and diseases that limit the growth and yield of spinach like Grasshoppers, Aphids, leaf minor and field cricket. In this experiment, two spinach varieties of i.e. single and double were purchased from the local market and were sown. Population of grasshoppers were observed from the plant emergence to crop maturity. In single spinach, the highest mean percent damage of 36% was recorded in second week whereas the lowest (21%) was recorded in week third. The mean percent damage recorded in week 1st was 29% which was followed by week 4th, 5th and 6th i.e. 27, 28 and 28%, respectively. In double spinach, the highest mean percent damage of 54% was recorded in third week whereas the lowest (36%) was recorded in week first. The mean percent damage recorded in week 1st was 36% which was followed by week 4th, 5th and 6th i.e. 49, 49 and 38%, respectively. On the basis of the study findings, it is recommend that single spinach variety should be used for better yield against grasshopper.