Pest & Disease Studies

Considerable research has been done on weather parameters conductive for outbreak of pests and diseases. Temperature (both the maximum and the minimum), relative humidity, rainfall, cloudiness, soil moisture, wind, light, have influence on occurrence of pests and diseases and hence, are useful in developing forewarning models . Pest weather calendars are also prepared by using these parameters, which can act as reference tool. Collaborative projects undertaken in this regard are associated with American boll worm on cotton, pink boll worm on cotton, spotted boll worm on cotton, pod borer on red gram. Establishment of network of pests and diseases recording stations to develop weather based forewarning models has been planned to set up. The Division through its pilot balloon- cum micrometeorological observatories over northwest India monitors migration of locust in relation to wind.