Screening Niger Varieties Against Major Sucking Pests

Studies were carried out screening of different niger varieties/genotypes against major insect pests on niger at College farm, Navsari Agricultural University, Navsari, Gujarat during the winter season of 2011. The screening of different niger varieties for their relative resistance/susceptibility against major sucking pests viz., aphid, jassid and whitefly. Out of eleven tested varieties of niger, Gujarat Niger1 recorded the lowest population of sucking pests viz., aphid(21.54/leaf), jassid (3.86/leaf) and whitefly(4.95/leaf). The variety V.P-91-2 registered the highest population of sucking pests viz., aphid (36.34/leaf), jassid (8.30/leaf) and whitefly (12.31/leaf). Hence, Gujarat Niger-1 variety may be encouraged for famers of south Gujarat, whichis having minimum population of sucking pests. Therefore, in the low value crop of niger, less plant protection measures will be required.