Department of Entomology, Central Research Institute for Jute and Allied Fibres, Barrackpore-743 101, North 24-Parganas, West Bengal (India).
Effect of yellow mite, Polyphagotarsonemus latus Bank, infestation on the quantitative change of major nutrients, viz, N, P and K in the leaves of five olitorius varieties namely, JRO 524, JRO 7835, JRO 878, JRO 36E and JRO 632 was studied. The mean per cent leaf infestation in these varieties was respectively 32.77, 46.67, 51.11, 66.67 and 58.89. JRO 524 was the most tolerant to mite infestation, whereas JRO 36E and JRO 632 were susceptible in nature. Healthy leaves of JRO 524 contained 15, 33 and 27 per cent more of N, P and K, respectively, as compared to JRO 36E. There was no significant difference in N, P and K content of healthy and infested leaves of the varieties and also in their interaction between variety and infestation.
