Dynamics of pest complex of brinjal in the farmland of Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama Campus, Narendrapur, West Bengal, India

A field trial is conducted to study the seasonal incidence of five pests namely Brinjal shoot & fruit borer [Leucinodes orbonalis Guenee], Hadda beetle [Henosepilachna vigintioctopunctata (Fabricius)], Mealy bug [Centrococcus insolitus (Green)], Aphid [Aphis gossypii (Glover) and White fly Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) on brinjal in relation to weather parameters at agricultural farm of RKMVERI campus, Narendrapur during kharif & rabi crop seasons (2019-20). The brinjal crops receive pests load from 9 to 15 week plant age and 10 to 17 week plant age during kharif and rabi crop season respectively. The all five pests attain maximum peak sequentially sharing various microhabitats for feeding on host plants. Among the five pests recorded shoot & fruit borer appears as the major pest enjoying the crop to its optimum throughout the season till harvest and seems to cause heavy damage in brinjal production. Mealy bugs attack the brinjal leaves only in the kharif crop whereas white flies are encountered in the field during rabi crop season only. In kharif season during the crop growing period, borer caterpillar incidence % is significant and positively correlated with avg. temperature (°C). For rabi season due to lack of complete field data on the incidence pattern of pest species correlation coefficient values are not generated. Data generated so far prompts to assume that the pest species are now with strong genetic stability irrespective of climate change and/or improvised agronomic practices.