Weather–pest relationships: Seasonal incidence of sucking pests on Vigna radiata (L.) R. Wilczek (mungbean) in eastern Uttar Pradesh

A field investigation was conducted to evaluate the seasonal incidence of major sucking pests of Vigna radiata (L.) R. Wilczek (mungbean)and their correlation with meteorological parameters under eastern Uttar Pradesh conditions. During the experimental period, incidence of sucking pests of Mungbean was recorded. Studies revealed that incidence of whitefly (Bemisia tabaci) was from 31st Standard Meteorological Week (SW). The highest incidence of whitefly was recorded at 37th SW (14.6 whitefly/cage). The incidence of Jassid (Empoasca kerri,) was recorded for the first time on 31st SW and peak incidence was recorded at 36th SW (6.30 jassids/cage). Thrips (Caliothrips indicus) was first time observed during 34th SW. The peak incidence of jassid was recorded at 35th SW with 3.6 per 10 flowers. White fly population had non- significant negative correlation with maximum and minimum temperature and non-significant and positive correlation with sunshine, relative humidity and rainfall. The correlation between population of jassid and weather parameters revealed that among all the weather parameters only sunshine (r = 0.692*) showed significant positive correlation. Thrips showed a non-significant negative correlation with minimum temperature and relative humidity. There was a positive and non-significant correlation between thrips population and maximum temperature, rainfall and sunshine hours. The findings bring out the influence of specific weather variables on the dynamics of some key sucking pests in mungbean. They bring out the importance of integrating climatic data into pest monitoring and forecasting systems for sustainable crop protection.