TITLE:
Impact Analysis of Genetically Modified (Bt) Cotton Genotypes on Economically Important Natural Enemies under Field Conditions
AUTHORS:
Dalip Kumar, Surender Singh Yadav, Vivek Kumar Saini, Krishan Kumar Dahiya
KEYWORDS:
Bt Cotton, Natural Enemies, Sucking Pests, Bollworm Complex, Population Dynamics, Correlation Co-Efficient, Abiotic Factors
JOURNAL NAME:
Advances in Entomology,
Vol.4 No.2,
February
4,
2016
ABSTRACT: Field studies were conducted at Hisar during Kharif, 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 under natural and unsprayed condition. RCH 134 Bt, HS 6 (non Bt), H 1117 and Ganganagar Ageti (non Bt) were selected for the studies. The experiment was laid down in Randomized Block Design replicated thrice having plant spacing 67.5 × 60 cm. Among the bollworms, Erias spp. exhibited positive correlation with rainfall, minimum temperature and relative humidity morning hours significantly at 5 percent level whereas Helicoverpa and Pectinophora displayed positive relations only with evening hours relative humidity significantly while Spodoptera were significantly positive correlated with relative humidity of morning and evening hours. Bollworm complex was negatively correlated with all the weather parameters employed to study although being non-significant in case of rainfall, maximum and minimum of temperature, morning and evening hours of relative humidity. Among the sucking pests, leafhoppers, whitefly, thrips and aphids population showed significantly negative correlation with weather parameters. The comparison of natural bio-agents in cotton hybrids under study revealed that overall mean population of natural enemies were higher in Bt cotton hybrid as compared to non-Bt. These results confirm that use of genetically modified (Bt) cotton in lieu of conventional genotypes could positively impact non-target and beneficial insect species by preserving their host populations.