title: Predictive zoning of rice stem borer damage in southern India through spatial interpolation of weather-based models.
abstract: Rice stem borer is an important insect pest causing severe damage to rice crop in India. The relationship between weather parameters such as maximum (T(max)) and minimum temperature (T(min)), morning (RH1) and afternoon relative humidity (RH2) and the severity of stem borer damage (SB) were studied. Multiple linear regression analysis was used for formulating pest-weather models at three sites in southern India namely, Warangal, Coimbatore and Pattambi as SB = -66.849 + 2.102 T(max) + 0.095 RH1, SB = 156.518 - 3.509 T(min) - 0.785 RH1 and SB = 43.483 - 0.418 T(min) - 0.283 RH1 respectively. The pest damage predicted using the model at three sites did not significantly differ from the observed damage (t = 0.442; p > 0.05). The range of weather parameters favourable for stem borer damage at each site were also predicted using the models. Geospatial interpolation (kriging) of the pest-weather models were carried out to predict the zones of stem borer damage in southern India. Maps showing areas with high, medium and low risk of stem borer damage were prepared using geographical information system. The risk maps of rice stem borer would be useful in devising management strategies for the pest in the region.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Reji
authors.forename: Subhash
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chander
authors.forename: Kalpana
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kamble
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005544:Forecasting; D060434:Herbivory; D007194:India; D007814:Larva; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D009036:Moths; D012275:Oryza; D014887:Weather