Bollworm Incidence in Cultivated Cotton Species

Investigations on “Bollworms incidence in cultivated cotton species” were carried out at Main Cotton Research Station, Navsari Agricultural University, Surat (Gujarat) during the Kharif, 2024-25. The experiment was carried out under protected and unprotected condition as main treatment and four cultivated species viz., Gossypium hirsutum (G. Cot. 40), G. herbaceum (GN. Cot. 27), G. arboreum (GN. Cot. 29) and G. barbadense (GSB 39) as sub treatments. The mean population of pink bollworm was observed significantly lower under protected (0.80 larvae/5 plants) as compared to unprotected (1.69 larvae/5 plants) plots. The lowest population of american bollworm was recorded in protected (1.04 larvae/5 plants) than unprotected (1.60 larvae/5 plants) condition. The population of spotted bollworm was 0.29 and 0.60 larvae/5 plants in protected and unprotected condition, respectively. The incidence of tobacco caterpillar was highest in unprotected (0.80 larvae/5 plants) over protected (0.46 larvae/5 plants) plots. The damage to green bolls by pink bollworm (32.46%), american bollworm (7.68%), spotted bollworm (3.62%) and tobacco caterpillar (5.98%) were significantly higher in unprotected condition as compared to protected (8.78, 5.62, 2.41 and 4.22%, respectively). Population of pink bollworm was lower in GSB 39 (0.99 larvae/5 plants) followed by GN. Cot. 29 (1.11 larvae/5 plants) and GN. Cot. 27 (1.30 larvae/5 plants), while it was found highest in G. Cot. 40 (1.49 larvae/5 plants). The incidence of american bollworm was found the lowest in GSB 39 (0.92 larvae/5 plants) within all varieties. The GN. Cot. 29 (1.19 larvae/5 plants) and GN. Cot. 27 (1.40 larvae/5 plants) were showed lower incidence of american bollworm than the G. Cot. 40 (1.81 larvae/5 plants). The lowest spotted bollworm population was observed in GSB 39 (0.33 larvae/5 plants). The GN. Cot. 29 (0.40 larvae/5 plants) and GN. Cot. 27 (0.46 larvae/5 plants) were recorded larval population higher than the GSB 39 but lower than G. Cot. 40 (0.56 larvae/5 plants). The lowest population of tobacco caterpillar occurred in GSB 39 (0.44 larvae/5 plants) followed by GN. Cot. 29 (0.56 larvae/5 plant) and GN. Cot. 27 (0.67 larvae/5 plants). It was noted highest in G. Cot. 40 (0.82 larvae/5 plants). The boll damage by pink bollworm was found lower in GSB 39 (13.88%) followed by GN. Cot. 29 (17.36%) and GN. Cot. 27 (21.05%). G. Cot. 40 was notified highest per cent of boll damage (25.21%). The lowest boll damage due to american bollworm was found in GSB 39 (5.49%). The GN. Cot. 29 (6.22%), GN. Cot. 27 (6.89%) and G. Cot. 40 (7.98%) were recorded higher boll damage than the GSB 39. The green boll damage due to spotted bollworm was observed lowest boll damage GSB 39 (2.15%) within all the varieties. Among different varieties, the lowest boll damage due to tobacco caterpillar was recorded in GSB 39 (4.04%) followed by GN. Cot. 29 (4.92%), GN. Cot. 27 (5.26%) and G. Cot. 40 (6.13%).