Seasonal incidence of important insect pests of mustard and their natural enemies in relation to weather parameters, in Allahabad region

The incidence of the mustard aphid Liphaphis erysimi Kalt commenced from December 1^st week and peaked in 3^rd week of January with 300 aphids/plant. The aphidophagous predators namely Coccinella septumpunctata, Coccinella transversalis, and Menochilus sexmaculata appeared high at January last week (20.00 Coccinellid/plant) to March 1^st week. The aphid predating Syrphids population were recorded and its population was maximum at February 1^st week (1.80 Syrphids/plant).One egg parasitoid Diaretialla rapae (Mcintosh) [Hymenoptera: Braconidae] were identified and its percentage parasitism were maximum at February last week (16.9%). The incidence of mustard leaf miner (Chromatomyia horticola) started from January 1^st week (0.2 miner/leaf) and reached to peak at February last week (2.5 miner/leaf). The Coccinellid, Coccinella septumpunctata appeared more or less with leaf miner population in 2^nd week of January (0.26 coccinellid/plant) and reached peak (4.75 Coccinellid grub/plant) February 3^rd week. The incidence of mustard leaf folder Crocidolomia binotalis commenced from November 1^st week (2.0 larvae/plant) and reached to peak in 3^rd week of November. The pupal parasitoid Aponteles sp. was found associated with the leaf folder, which appeared peak at November last week (5% infestation).