Occurrence of aphids on various potato germplasms in eastern gangetic plains of West Bengal
Amitava Konar and N. Johnson Singh
ABSTRACT
A field investigation was conducted for two consecutive years of 2003-04 and 2004-05 at Adisaptagram Block Seed Farm, Hoogly, West Bengal to find out the incidence pattern and population dynamics of aphids on various potato germplasms. The common potato germplasms viz Kufri Chandramukhi, Kufri Jyoti, Kufri Jawhar along with three processing varieties like Kufri Chipsona-1, Kufri Chipsona-2 and Atlantic were screened against aphids. Potato seed tuber was planted by end of November following all standard agronomic practices except insecticide application. The aphid species viz. Myzus persicae (Sulzur) and Aphis gossypi Glover were recorded first during third week of December and crossed the threshold limit (20 aphids/100 compound leaves) during first to second week of January in Kufri Chandramukhi whereas in Kufri Jyoti and Kufri Joawhar, the pest was observed first by fourth week of December and attained the critical level during second to third week of January. The pest initially occurred during early to mid January in K.Chipsona-1, K.Chipsona-2 and Atlantic and reached the threshold limit between end January to early February. Maximum population of aphid was found during mid to the end of February in Kufri Chandramukhi, K. Jyoti and K. Jawahar whereas it was recorded between end of February to early March in Kufri Chipsona-1, Kufri Chipsona-2 and Atlantic. Thereafter the population of aphid species declined due to age of the crop and increasing effect of temperature. It is also concluded that K. Chandramukhi was susceptible to aphid, and K. Jyoti and K. Jawahar were tolerant to aphids while K. Chipsona-1, K. Chipsona-2 and Atlantic germplasms of potato were quite resistant. Therefore, it may be inferred that Kufri Chipsona-1, Kufri Chopsona-2 and Atlantic needed only one or two insecticide application at 15 days interval during late January to protect the crop against the aphids while other varieties will require insecticide spraying during early January onwards to manage the crop from the infestation of aphids..
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December 2009
Vol. 1, Iss. 1, Pages 1-101
