POPULATION DYNAMICS OF MULBERRY LEAF ROLLER, DIAPHANIA PULVERULENTALIS HAMPSON IN MANDYA DISTRICT (KARNATAKA) INDIA

A field study on Population dynamics of mulberry leaf roller was conducted to record the seasonal incidence and abundance of Diaphania pulverulentalis at V. C. Farm, Mandya and Shivalli farmer field during March2018-May 2019.Study revealed that, the incidence of leaf roller was started from last week of April 2018 to first week of March 2019, which maintained a gradually increasing trend and reached its highest during September (3.95 larvae per plant) and population started declining gradually from 3 rd week of November (3.12 larvae per plant).Later the population increased gradually and reached 3.74 larvae per plant at 50 th standard week.Further the correlation study was also estimated between meteorological variables and larval population as well as per cent infestation.Correlation study of Diaphania pulverulentalis population with weather parameters showed significant negative correlation with the maximum temperature, minimum temperature, afternoon relative humidity and sunshine hours whereas, the morning relative humidity showed positive correlation with the larval population thus favouring the population build-up of the pest.The overall effect of all the weather factors on larval population and per cent infestation of leaf roller was 65 (R 2 = 0.65) and 69 (R 2 = 0.69) per cent, respectively.