Diversity and seasonal incidence of insect pest complex of tropical tuber crops in South-Western Rajasthan

Insect pests belonging to 13 families representing 4 orders: Coleoptera (3); Orthoptera (1); Lepidoptera (2); and Hemiptera (7) were recorded on some tuber crops. Chrysomelidae was the most dominant family with the relative density values ranging from 42.85 to 54.54 per cent with highest (54.54%) recorded in yam followed by sweet potato (43.47%). The Shannon and Simpson's diversity indices were highest for sweet potato 1.65 and 3.724, respectively. The population of chrysomelids, apionids, cicadellids and gryllids exhibited a significant positive correlation with the mean atmospheric temperature and relative humidity. Curculionids exhibited significant positive correlation with relative humidity. Noctuids and coccinellids showed significant negative correlation with relative humidity. Coreids and delphacids and exhibited a significant positive correlation with mean atmospheric temperature. Pentatomids exhibited a significant negative correlation with mean atmospheric temperature and significant positive correlation with relative humidity. Aleyrodids exhibited a significant positive correlation with mean atmospheric temperature and significant negative correlation with relative humidity.