author(s)
Keerthi MC, Somasekhar, Prabhuraj A, Bheemanna M and Krishnamurthy D

abstract
Sorghum is an important cereal crop in India. Sorghum shoot fly, Atherigona soccata Rondani has been known to be the most serious pest causing grain yield losses. A field experiment was conducted during the cropping season of 2015- 16 at MARS, Raichur to characterize relationship of various meteorological parameters with shoot fly, incidence in terms of egg load and dead heart. The oviposition by shoot fly reached peak (3.10 eggs/ plant) during 35^th MSW and also it was almost equal (2.9 eggs/ plant) during 33^rd MSW. Similar trend was observed with respect to dead hearts, where it gradually increased and reached peaks (96.12 and 94.32%) during 33^rd and 35^th MSW. In all the correlated weeks, maximum and minimum temperature had non-significant negative association with dead heart. The rainfall and rainy days had significant positive association on egg load on one week and three week lead time, respectively. The rainfall had significant positive association on dead heart during second and third week lead time.