Seasonal Abundance of Mealy Bug (Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley) on Bt Cotton in Punjab

The average mealy bug (Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley) population was maximum (2.69, 2.40 and 1.73 adults/plant) on Parthenium hysterophorus at wasteland, in or near field and weeds present near stacks at Muktsar. At Ferozepur, the mean mealy bug population was 1.10 adults/plant on cotton. On the weeds, near or in the field, the maximum population (5.94 adult/plant) was recorded on P. hysterophorus followed by Digeria arvensis (3.74 adults/plant). The population was 2.69, 2.66 and 2.86 adults/plant on Sida acuta, Abutilon theophrasti and Achryanthus aspera, respectively. On wasteland weeds, similar trend was observed, i.e. maximum population was on P. hysterophorus (7.31 adults/plant), while minimum (3.00 adults/plant) on S. acuta, during 2008. Similar trend was followed in 2009 in Muktsar and Ferozepur but the population was lower than the previous year. Among the weeds, P. hysterophorus was the most preferred host for multiplication. During carry-over studies all the stages and ovisac was maximum, follo...