Distribution of mealy bug, Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley in cotton with relation to weather factors in South-Western districts of Punjab Dhawan A.K., Singh Kamaldeep*, Aneja Anand, Saini Sarika Department of Entomology, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana - 141 004, Punjab, India. *Corresponding author's: E-mail: kd_singh27@yahoo.co.in
Abstract The incidence of mealy bug, P. solenopsis was recorded from the South-Western districts of Punjab i.e. Mansa, Bathinda, Muktsar, Faridkot and Ferozepur. The highest field infestation recorded was mostly in the 30th meteorological week with 14.9, 31.5 and 26.9 per cent in Bathinda, Muktsar and Ferozepur districts, respectively. In Faridkot, the highest field infestation of 10.2 per cent was recorded in 34th meteorological week. There was positive correlation among the per cent field infestation, number of infested rows by mealy bug and temperature, whereas negative correlation was observed with relative humidity and rainfall. All the meteorological parameters influenced the incidence of mealy bug on cotton in all the districts studied in Faridkot district where r-value is 0.71 in per cent infestation by mealy bug and 0.76 in rows infested by mealy bug. Top |