Vol. 11 No. 2
Studies on some bio-ecological aspects and varietal preference of banana aphid, Pentalonia nigronervosa Coque (Hemiptera: Aphididae)
Author(s): G. BASAK, A. BANERJEE AND B. BANDYOPADHYAY
Abstract: Keeping in view of dearth of detailed information regarding life history of banana aphid Pentalonia nigronervosa Coquerel, the present investigation has been undertaken to study some bio-ecological aspects of banana aphid, P.rnnigronervosa including its biology, correlation and regression studies to know the impact of weather parameters on its development along with varietal preference of the aphid during 2012-13. The results revealed the presence of banana aphids from 2nd week of December on banana and the maximum colonies have been noticed on leaf axil portion of pseudostem and newly unfurled top leaf of banana sucker. The study also revealed that the nymphs passed through four instars to become adult. The nymphal duration, reproductive period, pre-nymphoposition period, fecundity and adult longevity ranged from 10.8 days to 13.0 days, 20.4 days to 30.0 days, 3.0 to 6.0 days, 20.0 to 33.4 nymphs per female and 35.4 to 48.0 days, respectively during the study of subsequent two generations of both the parent aphids. It can also be concluded that ‘G9’ is more preferable germplasm than ‘Martaman’ in relation to their nymphal development. Relative humidity and maximum temperature were found to have significant correlation with the nymphal development, however, the combined effects of all the weather parameters considered on the duration of nymphal instars have been found to be statistically non-significant.