Population dynamics of coccinellid, Cheilomenes sexmaculata (Fab.) on cowpea aphid
Pooja Karane, Sharanabasappa, Shivanna BK, Nagarajappa Adivappar and Satish KM
Studies on the population dynamics were conducted during Rabi 2017 in the main campus of UAHS, Shivamogga. The study revealed that cowpea aphid and coccinellid prevailed throughout the cropping period of cowpea. The peak incidence of aphids was noticed in 46th SMW (125.35 aphids/2.5cm pod length) with a population ranged from 25.70 aphids/3 leaves to 125.35 aphids/2.5cm pod length. The population of coccinellids followed the trend of cowpea aphid. The mean number of aphids and coccinellid adults showed positive correlation with maximum temperature and negative correlation with remaining weather parameters such as minimum temperature, morning, evening relative humidity and rainfall. The coccinellid grubs showed significant positive correlation with maximum temperature and negatively significant correlation with evening relative humidity. Whereas, negatively correlated with the remaining parameters such as minimum temperature, morning relative humidity and rainfall. And it was found that the coccinellid population were highly significant and positively correlated with aphid population.