Spatio-temporal assessment of cotton leafhopper in North-Eastern districtsof Karnataka using GIS technology

Abstract

Spatio-temporal distribution of cotton leaf hopper, Amrasca biguttula biguttula (Ishida) in five Districts (Ballari,Kalaburagi, Koppala, Raichur and Yadgir) of North-Eastern Karnataka was assessed using GIS technology. Pest surveillancedata (5648) on target pest gathered through eSAP (Electronic Solutions against Agricultural Pests) from 2012-13 to 2015-16and was utilized in developing distribution maps and its incidence with weather parameters (temperature and rainfall) as therisk assessment maps for precise pest management at Department of Agricultural Entomology, UAS, Raichur. When thedata was observed through spatial analysis, the incidence level of leafhopper varied in all the Districts across differentyears. Overall observation on distribution and level of incidence of cotton leaf hopper across the five Districts of Kalyana-Karnataka region indicated that the pest incidence was low and less than ETL during 2012-13 and 2013-14. However, innext two years i.e. 2014-15 and 2015-16 the pest become very serious and widespread reaching ETL as well as more thanETL in all cotton growing regions. The rainfall and maximum temperature are the most influencing factors on population ofA. biguttula biguttula. Overlay analysis indicated that rainfall of more than 300 mm with one month lag time and maximumtemperature above 30°C with 10 days lag time favoured the higher incidence of pest.