Survey and Surveillance of Sunflower Defoliator Pests and their Natural Enemies in Northern Dry Zone of Karnataka

Studies indicated the prevalence of high population of defoliator insect pests viz. , Tobacco cutworm, Spodoptera litura Fabricius, cabbage semilooper, Thysanoplusia orichalcea Fabricius, Bihar hairy caterpillar, Spilarctia obliqua Walker, on sunflower during 2014. The mean population of defoliators and per cent foliage damage was recorded maximum in Basavana Bagewadi and Hungund taluk while, it was minimum in Indi and Muddebihal generally, the population of defoliator insect pests occurrence on sunflower crop was very low during seedling stage and it was gradually increased during vegetative stage of the crop and reached a peak occurrence during reproductive stage. Maximum population of coccinellids and spiders were recorded in Basavana Bagewadi and Hungund taluk whereas, minimum Indi, Muddebihal and Sindagi taluk, respectively.