author(s)
Manjunatha KL, PC Ganiger and CR Jahir Basha

abstract
Studies on occurrence and population dynamics of insect pests of castor was carried out at ARS, Pavagada during Kharif 2013 And the results revealed, twenty two insect species feeding on different parts of the crop. Among them, sixteen species were leaf feeders, five were sucking pests and one capsule borer belonging to families, Pyrgomorphidae, Acrididae, Noctuidae, Geometridae, Arctidae, Nymphalidae, Curculionidae, Agromyzidae, Limacodidae, Cicadellidae, Thripidae, Pentatomidae, Tetranychidae and Pyraustidae besides, three larval parasitoids were recorded on Achaea janata viz,. Microplitis maculipennis Szepligeti, Euplectrus leucotomies Rohwer and Brachymeria spp. The relationship between pests and ambient weather parameters revealed minimum temperature, humidity, wind speed and wind direction were significant negative influence on Tetranychus spp. (r=0.82**), Conogethes punctiferalis (r=0.658* to 0.979**) and Ergolis merione (r=0.657* to 0.699*) population buildup. While, maximum temperature, atmospheric pressure, wind speed and minimum temperature were significant positive influence on C. punctiferalis (r=0.726* to 0.889**), Helicoverpa armigera (0.648*), grass hoppers (0.701* to 0.749*) and Liriomyza trifoli (0.819*) population buildup.