Effect of weather parameters on seasonal abundance of mango hopper Amritodus atkinsoni on four different mango varieties of Jammu Region, J and K, India

The mango hopper, Amritodus atkinsoni (Leth.) poses a substantial danger to the production of mangoes (Mangifera indica L.), causing significant crop damage and financial losses. The experiments were conducted in mango orchards of Nagbani-Marh area of Jammu region of J and K from Jan 2023 to Dec 2023. This study examined the seasonal population dynamics of A. atkinsoni on four commercial mango cultivars, Dashehari, Langra, Kheera and Malda of Jammu region throughout 2023. Field observations employed standardized bag-trap and sweep net sampling to quantify hopper populations on fortnightly basis. The first appearance of adult hoppers was noticed during 1st fortnight of March in 2023 whereas, the peak of adult leafhoppers was recorded during 2nd fortnight of May on all cultivars i.e., Dashehari, Langra, Kheera and Malda. After this, the population on all cultivars decreased in June and July and then showed second peak during first fortnight of August. This 2nd peak was not as high as the previous one indicating that A. atkinsoni is bivoltine. Relative humidity and temperature were found to have a substantial impact on the hopper population. Morning and evening relative humidity had a negative effect on the hopper population, whereas maximum and minimum temperatures showed a positive and significant correlation. Dashehari was shown to be the most vulnerable to mango hopper infestation among the four mango cultivars, followed by Langra, Kheera, and Malda. It is discovered that Malda is the least vulnerable. These results suggest critical intervention windows for implementing integrated pest management strategies to minimize output losses and optimize pest control efficacy in commercial mango production systems, particularly for susceptible cultivars