Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry 2017; 6(5): 2348-2354 E-ISSN: 2278-4136 P-ISSN: 2349-8234 Population dynamics of Blackheaded fireworm, JPP 2017; 6(5): 2348-2354 Received: 27-07-2017 Rhopobota naevana (Hubner) (Lepidoptera: Accepted: 28-08-2017 Tortricidae) in temperate region of Jammu & Kashmir, Mushtaq A Division of Entomology, Sher-e- India Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences & Technology of Kashmir, Mushtaq A Ganai and Zakir H Khan Shalimar, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India Abstract Zakir H Khan Population dynamics and extent of damage of Rhopobota naevana (Hubner) was studied at Shalimar, Division of Entomology, Sher-e- Chitherhama and Dhara in managed and unmanaged apple orchards during 2010-2012. The results Kashmir University of revealed that adult trap catch initiated (4.33 moths per trap/ night) in first week of June, reached its peak Agricultural Sciences & value (35 moths per trap/night) during 2nd, 3rd week of August and finished its flight in last week of Technology of Kashmir, September. Monitoring of larval population indicated that larval infestation began in 2nd week of May Shalimar, Srinagar, Jammu and reached its peak value in 3rd week of July and reached to zero in 1st week of September. Study of per cent Kashmir, India damage done during cropping season indicated that twig damage started in 2nd (2.75%) and 3rd (2.56%) week of May in unmanaged and managed orchards, respectively, reached its highest value (75% and 20%) in unmanaged and managed orchard, respectively during 3rd week of July and afterwards went on decreasing. Keywords: Kashmir, leaf roller, apple orchard, population dynamics, correlation 1. Introduction Tortricidae, commonly known as leaf rollers or leaf twisters, are the largest family of [2] microlepidoptera with more than 10000 species (Brown, 2005) . The family includes some of the most economically important pests of agriculture, forest trees, and ornamental plants (Razowski, 2002; Timm, 2005) [4, 7]. The family is worldwide in distribution but reaches its greatest species-richness in temperate and tropical regions (Scoble, 1992) [5]. The common name, leaf rollers, originates from the larval behaviour of spinning and/or rolling leaves of the [7] host plant upon which they feed and develop (Timm, 2005) . In temperate region of Jammu and Kashmir, only two species of tortricid moths have been reported are yet known to damage apple crop. These are codling moth, C. pomonella (Linnaeus), which occurs as severe problem in Ladakh region (Wadhi and Sethi, 1975) [8] and Archips moth, A. pomivora Meyrick which appears sporadically in Kashmir valley (Bhagat et al., 1994) [1] while as third one namely Blackheaded fireworm, Rhopobota naevana (Hubner) is emerging as serious problem in apple orchards particularly on young plants. The larvae of this moth damage the terminals of current season twigs by skeletonising the leaves often so severely that areas of the apple orchards turn brown and appear burned top of trees. The larvae wriggle vigorously when disturbed and use silk to construct protected feeding sites by webbing together terminal leaves. This tortricid pest occurs in all apple-growing areas of the state and causes damage in apple orchards particularly on young plants every year. The pest has three generations per year, moths are very dispersive, females are quite fecund, and larvae damage the terminals of current season twigs. Left alone, small infestations can reach epidemic levels within two to three years. Blackheaded fireworm overwinter in the egg stage, but hatch is difficult to predict, especially in the Kashmir valley where the winter is mild and spring temperatures are extremely variable. Eggs are laid singly on the underside of the leaves and remain yellow until April, when they slowly turn orange as temperatures increase. The characteristic black head capsule can be recognized within the egg a day or two before hatch, which extends throughout Correspondence late April and May, depending on weather. Seasonal population development can be Mushtaq A Division of Entomology, Sher-e- monitored using sweep nets to sample larvae and pheromone traps to capture male moths. It Kashmir University of has long been recognized that climate and weather can have a considerable effect on animal Agricultural Sciences & populations. Climatological factors influence animal abundance, distribution and phenology. Technology of Kashmir, They are sometimes held responsible for insect outbreaks as well as for the control of insect Shalimar, Srinagar, Jammu and numbers. Kashmir, India ~ 2348 ~ Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry Of the many influences to which the Tortricid moth fauna is from meteorological section, Division of Agronomy, currently exposed, climatic change is certainly the most SKUAST-Kashmir, Shalimar. Correlation analysis was done pervasive. Even the few pockets of landscape that have between adult population and weather factors and larval remained more or less free from human disturbance cannot population and weather factors. Finally the data for studying escape from this phenomenon. Study of Blackheaded population dynamics and extent of damage was subjected to fireworm population fecundity is important for the successful correlation analysis with the help of statistical software (R- evaluation of its population dynamics. This information also Software). becomes part of the basis for ecologically-based pest management models. Population models and decision-making Results criteria based on expected trends in population growth have Studies on the population dynamics of Rhopobota naevana often relied on estimates of fecundity derived from allometric from 2010 to 2012 indicated that the week for the beginning relationships between insect size and reproductive output. So of flight period was 22nd standard week whereas the mean the study was undertaken to investigate the population week for its end was 39th standard week on the basis of three dynamics of Black headed fireworm, Rhopobota naevana years flight trend (Table 1). Results further showed there were (Hubner) in temperate region of Jammu & Kashmir and its three mean peak flight periods viz. 25th standard week (26 correlation with different weather factors. moths/Trap/night) for first generation, 33rd standard week (35.66 moths/Trap/night) for second generation and 38th Materials and Methods standard week (30.66 moths/Trap/night) for third generation For studying population dynamics of Blackheaded fireworm, which were corresponding to the period when mean Rhopobota naevana, (Hubner) bucket type light trap was maximum temperature ranged from 26-31oC, minimum installed in the apple orchard at Shalimar during the cropping temperature from 11-18oC, morning relative humidity from season (March to November) from 2010 to 1012 and 77-87%, evening relative humidity 48-57%, sunshine from observations were taken at weekly intervals by keeping the 7.02-9.6 hours and rainfall from 0.47-1.19 mm which seems traps on between 7 pm to 6 am. The adults collected were to be favourable for its emergence (Fig. 1). During entire sorted and their population was recorded. For monitoring the period 905 specimens were captured in which the percentage larval population of Blackheaded fireworm, Rhopobota of first generation trap catch was 30.82% (279), the second naevana, (Hubner) managed and unmanaged apple orchards generation was 44.08 (399) and that of third generation was were selected at Shalimar, Chitherhama and Dhara. The larval 25.08% (227). population was also monitored by taking five terminal twigs The correlation study (Table-2) of adult population with from five randomly selected trees replicated thrice in weather factors during 2010-2012 made it clear that managed and unmanaged apple orchards at Shalimar, maximum temperature, minimum temperature and sunshine Chitherhama and Dhara at weekly interval throughout the had significant positive impact on the population build-up, season i.e. April to October during 2010-2012 and examined while as other weather parameters i.e. rainfall, relative for number of larvae. The population of adults and larvae was humidity morning and relative humidity evening were non- correlated with weather factors. The data regarding weather significantly correlated with moth population at 1 and 5% parameters namely minimum and maximum temperature, level of significance. relative humidity, rainfall and sunshine hours was obtained Table 1: Monitoring of Blackheaded fireworm, Rhopobota naevana (Hubner) adult population through light trap in relation to weather factors during 2010-2012. o o Month St. Wk. Tmax C Tmin C RF (mm) RHm (%) RHe (%) SS (hrs) Mn. Spn. /T/N 9th 11.59 2.00 3.42 89.14 54.52 3.43 0.00 10th 15.82 1.53 1.21 83.71 41.37 5.93 0.00 March 11th 19.33 3.62 1.83 79.42 37.61 5.50 0.00 12th 21.19 5.83 0.00 74.75 33.90 6.30 0.00 13th 16.76 5.37 2.98 87.66 58.18 3.62 0.00 14th 19.23 5.01 2.38 81.28 48.47 5.92 0.00 April 15th 18.90 7.35 5.49 83.42 59.94 4.26 0.00 16th 19.71 6.10 4.00 84.04 54.33 6.03 0.00 17th 21.79 8.15 2.46 81.56 53.61 5.36 0.00 18th 22.59 8.69 2.33 80.85 54.38 6.48 0.00 19th 23.02 9.11 2.63 81.09 55.90 5.96 0.00 May 20th 24.73 10.18 1.90 76.99 51.61 7.86 0.00 21st 24.30 10.35 4.27 78.70 48.71 5.77 0.00 22nd 26.75 10.01 0.92 74.80 49.18 8.71 4.33 23rd 25.90 10.92 2.61 77.90 48.52 7.12 10.66 June 24th 27.99 12.56 0.55 77.80 52.18 8.32 15.33 25th 30.66 14.75 0.47 77.80 48.71 9.61 26.00 26th 28.59 14.61 0.51 75.66 57.42 8.15 25.00 27th 30.29 16.04 0.58 75.40 49.48 8.41 10.66 July