Journal of Environmental Biology

Mustard aphid infestation in India: Development of

forewarning models

B. Bapuji Rao¹*, V.U.M Rao¹, Linitha Nair¹, Y.G.Prasad¹, A.P.Ramaraj² and C.Chattopadhyay³

¹Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture, Santoshnagar, Hyderabad - 500 059, India

²Agroclimate Research Centre, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore - 641 003, India

³Indian Institute of Pulses Research, Kanpur - 208 024, India

*Corresponding Author E-mail: bapujiraob2002@yahoo.com

Publication Data

Paper received:

12 November 2012

Revised received:

25 June 2013

Accepted:

31 July 2013

Abstract

Aphid Lipaphis erysimi (Kaltenbach) infestation on mustard (Brassica juncea L.) account for considerable yield losses in India. Experimental data from six north Indian locations were used to study the role of weather on the incidence and development of mustard aphid. Temperature was found to regulate the aphid appearance and population build-up. In warm humid climate, time to attain peak population was relatively shorter than in cool climates. Aphids appeared mostly when the accumulated thermal time ranged between 810-847ᵒcd. Functional relations proposed in the present investigation between aphid incidence and peak population, using previous weeks weather and pest data for majority of the locations, could be used for taking any prophylactic/control measures.

 Key words

Mustard aphid, Forewarning models, Degree days, Temperature

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