Population dynamics of Rice Leaf Folder Cnaphalocrocis medinalis (Guenee) under

Abstract

Population dynamics of rice leaffolder, Cnaphalocrcis medinalis wascarried out in the field at Choudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University,Rice Research Station, Kaul during Kharif season. The population of rice leaffolderfluctuated in different periods during the season. The maximum number of eggs, larvaeand pupae were observed during the 35th week (i.e.4th week of August), 36th week (i.e.1stweek of September), respectively. This indicated that maximum population of pest predominatedin September-October. Apanteles sp. and Cotesia sp. were observed as thedominating larval parasitoids while Brachymeria sp. and Xanthopimpla flavolineata were dominating pupal parasitoids. A spider of Lycosa sp. was also observed to predate uponlarvae and pupae of rice leaf folder. Total eggs with rainfall and parasitoids shownegative correlation. When total larval population correlated with biotic and abioticfactors it shows positive correlation with maximum temperature and sunshine hourswhile negative correlation with other factors like rainfall.