Effect of sowing dates and mulches on the seasonal activity of okra aphid, Aphis gossypii (Glover)

The field experiment was conducted to study the effect of sowing date and mulches on the seasonal activity of okra aphid, Aphis gossypii (Glover) during rabi hot weather season of 2016-2017 at Agronomy farm, College of Agriculture, Dapoli. The results revealed the data on effect of different sowing dates on mean aphid population per three leaves during 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th WAS, was minimum (6.61, 5.63, 8.06, 11.69, 7.45 and 4.80, respectively) in treatment S1 (46th SMW, 12th-18th Nov.) and the treatment was at par with S2. The data on effect of different mulches on mean aphid population per three leaves during 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th WAS, was minimum (5.42, 5.45, 8.37, 12.27, 8.20, 5.43, respectively) in treatment M2 (Silver polythene mulch) and the treatment was at par with M3. The data on combination effect of different sowing dates and mulches on mean aphid population during 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th WAS, was minimum (4.46, 4.74, 6.23, 9.16, 6.02 and 3.29, respectively) in treatment combinations S1M2 [S1 (46th SMW, 12th-18th Nov.) + M2 (Silver polythene mulch)] and S2M2 [S2 (49th SMW, 3rd-9th Dec.) + M2 (Silver polythene mulch)].