Insect Biodiversity in Brinjal Agro-Ecosystem

Abstract

The experiment on insect biodiversity in brinjal (Solanum melongena L.) agro-ecosystem was conducted at village Mushtaque Kaleri near Tandojam, Hyderabad, Sindh, Pakistan during winter season 2015-2016. For this purpose ½ acre of brinjal crop was cultivated. Collection was done once a week through sweep net method. Data was collected by examining 30 plants and analyzed by using Shannon diversity index. The results showed that in brinjal agro-ecosystem 27 species of insects were recorded from 10th of December 2015 to 5th of March 2016. Among them 19 species were pests and 8 species were predators and pollinators. The highest diversity (H' =3.33) was recorded on 23 February, 2016 while the minimum (H' =2.15) was recorded on 01 December, 2015. The highest diversity (H_max) 3.29 was recorded on 29 December, 2015 and 16 February, 2016 however, the lowest diversity (H_max) 3.09 was recorded on 01 December, 2015 and 08 December, 2015. The maximum evenness (J' =1.02) was recorded on 26 January, 2016 and 23 February, 2016, respectively. Whereas minimum evenness (J' =0.69) was recorded on 01 December, 2015. The maximum richness (D=0.27) was recorded in two observations on 29 December, 2015 and 16 February, 2016. However, minimum richness (D=0.22) was recorded on 01 December, 2015 and 08 December, 2015 in brinjal agro-ecosystem.