Population Dynamics of Flower feeders in Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) and correlation with Abiotic factors

A field trial was conducted during kharif 2006 and 2007 to find out the fourteen insect-pests population associated with sesame (cv. Type-4, Type-12, Type-13, Type-78 & Shekhar) at different stages of crops growth stages. Four flower feeders viz. Asphondylia sesami, Oxyctomia dispar, Dasyneura sesami and Mylabris pustulala were observed to infest all varieties of sesame. The population of sesame gall fly, flower beetle, sesame budflyand blister beetle were found positively correlated with the minimwn, maximwn temperatures and relative humidity and negatively correlated with rainfall in all varieties of sesame during both the years.