author(s)
R Mishra, BM Mhaske, NM Patil and SB Desale

abstract
An experiment was conducted to observe the influence of abiotic factors on the incidence of insect pests viz., diamond back moth, tobacco leaf eating caterpillar, aphids and painted bugs on cauliflower during late-kharif season, 2016 at Farm of Agricultural Entomology Section, College of Agriculture, Dhule. Major activity period of diamond back moth (Plutella xylostella) was observed from 35^th to 39^th SMW with peak incidence in 39^th SMW (7.32 larvae/plant) and tobacco leaf eating caterpillar (Spodoptera litura) was observed from 35^th to 47^th SMW with peak incidence in 43^rd SMW (3.12 larvae/plant) respectively while aphids (Brevicoryne brassicae) appeared from 35^th SMW to 47^th SMW with peak incidence in 43^rd SMW (44.17 aphids/3 leaves/plant). Painted bugs (Bagrada cruciferarum) were observed from 35^th to 47^th SMW with peak incidence in 42^nd SMW (4.23 painted bugs/3 leaves/plants). Analysis of correlation between weather (abiotic) factors and the insect pests of okra showed that population of diamond back moth had a significant positive correlation with minimum temperature (r=0.6475*) and evening RH (r=0.5578*), While tobacco leaf eating caterpillar, aphids and painted bugs showed non-significant relationship with weather parameters.