Akkabathula Nithish

H. vigintioctopunctata is a stern pest of solanceous crops all over the world and is one of the major defoliators of eggplant leading to heavy economic yield loss. It is a polyphagous pest, having a wide host range, with brinjal as the most preferred one. Both grubs as well as adults feed voraciously on the green matter of the leaf and skeletonize it leaving the upper epidermal tissue. The growth and development of the plants are greatly hampered and the yield is markedly reduced. The percent infestation starts from one week after transplanting. Population dynamics of the pest species is associated with environment. The infestation and multiplication of insect have correlation with different prevailing weather parameters such as maximum and minimum temperature, wind velocity, minimum and maximum relative humidity, sunshine and rainfall which influencing insects both directly and indirectly. The studies on its biology indicated that female laid eggs in batches during her life span and the larvae pass through four moults. The duration of different stages of life cycle like premating period, pre oviposition period, oviposition period, incubation period, larval period, pre pupal period, pupal period and adult vary for each stage of its life cycle. Due to its multiple host range pests occurred throughout the year. When number of pest managing application increases, profit decreases. IPM is a system that utilizes all suitable techniques and methods in a compatible manner as possible and maintains pest populations at levels below those causing economic injury. Intelligent selection and use of pest control tactics will ensure favorable economic, ecological and sociological consequences. There is a need for further study over the effects of the ecological factors on different life stages of H.vigintioctopunctata so that they could be exploited in devising IPM strategy for effective management.

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