author(s)
Babita Bhatt and AK Karnatak

abstract
The present investigation was conducted to study the population dynamics of sucking pests and their predators on okra agroecosystem during the kharif, 2016. The major sucking pests recorded in the experimental field were whitefly (Bemisia tabaci Gennadius), leaf hopper (Amrasca bigutulla bigutulla Ishida) and aphids (Aphis gossypii Glover). Ladybird beetle (Coccinella spp.), green lacewing (Chrysoperla carnea), Eocanthecona spp., spiders, syrphid fly and ants were some of the predators observed in the bhindi ecosystem. Among them Coccinella spp. and spiders were most commonly occurring predators in the field. The peak densities of insect pests and their predators were attained in September-October. A. bigutulla bigutulla and Bemisia tabaci attained the peak (11.13 leafhopper/3 leaves and 12.11 whitefly/3 leaves) in the 40th standard meteorological week (SMW) while Aphis gossypii attained its highest density (23.08 aphids/3 leaves) in 39th SMW. The predator population attained its peak (3.16 spiders/ plant and 3.01 coccinellids/ plant) in the 39th SMW.