Annals of Plant Protection Sciences

The population was monitored from 30 days after transplanting at fortnightly interval. Five plants of each plot were randomly selected, tagged and 30 leaves were plucked for counting under stereoscopic binocular microscope, 2.5cm² at four places/leaf. The mean population of Tetranychus neocaledonicus reached its maximum in first fortnight of September with 8.97 mite/leaf. It showed an increasing trend from 2^nd fortnight of October with 8.33 mites/leaf to 11.17 mites/leaf and again with rising temperature from 2^nd fortnight of February 10.6 mites/leaf to 22.37 mites in 1^st fortnight of April. Intermittent rainfall was always able to suppress the mite population. The population of predatory mite was found low on an average throughout the period with 4.71 predatory mites/leaf in November to no observed population in June. Such studies can be used to develop prediction models for vegetable mite infestation for timely intervention to keep its population under control.