Impact of agro-climatic diversity on diamondback moth in West Bengal

Study was undertaken in quest of impact of agro-climatic condition on the morphometric and biological variations of diamondback moth populations in six distinct agro-climatic regions, viz., Hilly Region, Tarai Region, Bindhya Alluvial Region, Gangetic Alluvial Region and Coastal Region of West Bengal, India. Morphometry of DBM populations from the different agro-climatic regions of West Bengal explicitly unveiled existence of heterogeneity in the insect populations which was maintained through the successive developmental stages of the same generation as well as through the successive generations. Study on various biological parameters of the DBM populations from the above mentioned regions was also undertaken for successive four generations under constant temperature and humidity regime and same food materials. It was recorded that with regard to fecundity and mating duration in all the four generations, populations of Tarai Region, Gangetic Alluvial Region, Bindhya Alluvial Region and Coastal Region were quite congruent to each other whereas populations of the Hilly Region and Lateritic Region were heterogeneous to the formers but close to each other.