Seasonal abundance of cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata L.) butter fly (Pieris brassicae) and its management

A field experiment was carried out during 44^th standard meteorological week (SMW) of 2006 to 15^th SMW of 2007 at C.S. Azad University of Agriculture and Technology, Kanpur (Uttar Pradesh), India to study seasonal abundance of cabbage butter fly (Pieris brassicae Linn.) on cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata L.). Results revealed that the fly appeared during 1^st week of February and reached its peak (22.45 larvae plant-1 with 38.5% infestation) during 2^nd week of March and continued till first week of April. Infestation of cabbage butter fly increases with atmospheric temperature and relative humidity. The fly was effectively managed with the use of methylchlorpyriphos (0.04%) spray. This treatment recorded higher head yield of cabbage by 65.16% over the control.