Diversity of arthropods fauna in correlation to abiotic factors in wheat crop

Wheat (Triticum aestivum) is the major staple food of Pakistan. Many insect pests attack the wheat crop. In the present study, the overall population of insect pests, i.e., aphids, midges, grasshopper, wasps, and crickets, along with natural enemies such as spiders, coccinellids, and Chrysoperla were surveyed, correlated with abiotic factors and their diversity on the wheat crop was studied. The highest insect population was found in March, according to the statistics. Overall, the arthropod populations per plot (8 x 12 m2) were as follows: aphids (148.08), spiders (3.65), midges (149), wasps (22), grasshoppers (3.5), Chrysoperla (7.75), and coccinellids (4.39). These populations were observed in relation to temperatures ranging from 13.9 to 24.5 degrees C, 135 mm of rainfall, and relative humidity (RH) levels of 85% in the morning and 62.4% in the afternoon. Insect population was the lowest in January, with spiders (0.45), aphids (3.44), midges (7.69), Coccinellids (0.33), grasshoppers (0), wasps (0), Chrysoperla (0.75) in all traps in relation to temperature (5.5-17.3 degrees C), 50.8 mm rainfall, and RH in the morning and afternoon (88.3% and 60.3%). The results revealed that insect diversity of midges, aphids, crickets, Chrysoperla, and wasps showed a positive but non-significant correlation with temperature, while temperature had a negative and non-significant effect on coccinellids, spiders, and grasshoppers. RH showed a significant and positive correlation with midges, aphids, grasshopper, and wasps, while rainfall showed a negative and non-significant correlation with all insects.

Journal

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF TROPICAL INSECT SCIENCE

Year

2025

Volume

45

Issue

6

Pages

2959-2966

ISSN

1742-7584

eISSN

1742-7592

DOI

10.1007/s42690-025-01646-w

WoS UID

WOS:001597848800001