Arthropod Pests of Chilli and Associated Natural Enemies in Kymore Plateau and Satpura Hill Zone of Madhya Pradesh (India)

The survey was conducted in selected districts of Kymore Plateau and Satpura Hills zone of Madhya Pradesh (India) to assess the pest status of chilli during 2017-18 and 2018-19 rabi season. Crop was monitored at vegetative, flowering, and fruiting stages in four selected locations (pesticide-free fields) of seven districts viz., Seoni, Jabalpur, Katni, Rewa, Satna, Panna, and Sidhi. The pest spectra included four insect pests and a mite species namely, whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius), thrips, Scirtothrips dorsalis Hood, leafhoppers, Amrasca biguttula biguttula (Ishida), fruit-borer, Helicoverpa armigera Hubner, and a mite species, Polyphagotarsonemus latus (Banks); one species of predator, transverse ladybird beetle, Coccinella transversalis Fabricius. The incidence of Leaf curl disease was also observed. The pooled mean population of B. tabaci in Seoni, Jabalpur, Katni, Rewa, Satna, Panna, and Sidhi was 2.86, 2.45, 2.67, 2.79, 2.90, 2.86, and 2.70 individuals/ 10 cm twig, respectively at the flowering stage. Mean population of S. dorsalis was 1.65, 1.48 and 1.34 individuals/ 10 cm twig at flowering stage in Jabalpur, Katni and Panna, while, in Seoni, Rewa, Satna and Sidhi, it was 1.37, 1.35, 1.34 and 1.48 individuals/ 10 cm twig, respectively at fruiting stage. Population of A. biguttula biguttula was 3.14, 3.80, 3.49, 3.14, 3.18, 3.40, and 2.98 individuals/ 10 cm twig at fruiting stage. P. latus population was 0.86, 1.01, 0.92, 0.99, 0.95, 1.13 and 0.96 mites/ leaf at fruiting stage. H. armigera population was 1.13, 0.43, 0.53, 0.62, 1.28, 0.86 and 1.19 larvae/ plant at fruiting stage. Populations of C. transversalis were 1.80, 2.25, 2.32, 1.85, 1.88, 2.36, and 1.67 beetles/ plant at the fruiting stage. The leaf curl (% leaf infestation) incidence was 27.28, 32.43, 33.33, 28.45, 36.03, 25.53, and 36.19 % at the fruiting stage in the mentioned districts of the zone.