Diversity of inset-pests and their natural enemies in cauliflower under mid hills of Himachal Pradesh

The present experiment was carried out at the research farm of Department of Entomology, Dr Y S Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan, Himachal Pradesh during 2017-2018. During the experimental period a total of 14 species of insect pests of cauliflower viz. cabbage butterfly (Pieris brassicae), white cabbage butterfly (Pieris rapae), diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella), tobacco caterpillar (Spodoptera litura), cutworm (Agrotis ipsilon), golden wing moth (Thysanoplusia orichalcea),cabbage web worm (Hellula undalis), flea beetle (Phyllotreata sp), painted bugs (Bagrada cruciferarum and Eurydema pulchrum), green potato bug (Nizara viridula), cabbage aphid (Brevicoryne brassicae), green peach aphid (Myzus persicae), greenhouse whitefly (Trialeurodes vaporariorum) were recorded. In the present study a total of fourteen species of natural enemies on insect pests of cauliflower were recorded, out of which 10 were predators and 4 parasitoids. Among predators 4 were coccinelids viz. Coccinella septempunctata, Hippodamia variegata, Oenopia Sauzeti and Oenopia kirbyi, five were syrphids viz. Episyrphus balteatus, E. frequens, Syrphus pyrastri, Metasyrphus confrator, Sphaerophoria Indiana and one was chrysopid is Crysoperla zastrowisillemi. Whereas, parasitoids recorded were Cotesia glomerata parasitizing the larva of Pieris brassicae and Pieris rapae, Diadegma Semiclausam parasitizing the larva of Plutella xylostella, Diadegma Collaris parasitizing the pupa of Plutella Xylostella and Diaeretiella rapae parasitizing the cabbage aphid. Coccinella septumpuntata was the most abundant predator with relative proportion of 74.55 and 52.98 per cent during 2017 and 2018, respectively. The parasitization of Plutella xyllostella by D. Semiclausam was 28.94 per cent and 30.77 per cent during 2017 and 2018, respectively. Cotesia glomerata was the most abundant parasitoid with relative proportion of 42.43 and 57.58 per cent during 2017 and 2018, respectively.