POTENTIAL IMPACT OF CLIMATIC FACTORS ON WHITEFLIES AND APHIDS INFESTING CHILLI (CAPSICUM ANNUM L.)L.S. Saini, H.P. Meghwal2, M.S. Meena and B.K. PatidarAbstract A field experiment was conducted during the rabi seasons of 2020-21, to investigate the impact of climatic factors on the population dynamics of whiteflies and aphids in chili crops under unprotected conditions. Result revealed that the initiation of white fly (2.53 whitefly/3 leaves) and aphid incidence (3.66 aphids/3 leaves) was started in 44th SMW. After that white fly and aphid population was gradually increased and reached its peak with 6.20 whitefly/3 leaves and 8.27 aphids/3 leaves in 49th SMW. Correlation of whitefly and aphids population with climatic factors showed negative correlation with maximum temperature (r= - 0.1407, -0.0502) and rainfall (r= -0.0783, -0.0552) while, positive correlation with morning relative humidity (r=0.3847, 0.3327) and evening relative humidity (r= 0.1890, 0.1948), respectively. Whitefly population showed negative correlation with minimum temperature (r= -0.0632) while, aphid population showed positive correlation with minimum temperature (r= 0.0488). |