Screening of Mustard Varieties for Resistance to Lipaphiserysimi (Kaltenbach), an Aphid, in the Field Conditions

A field study was conducted at experimental farm of Rajasthan College of Agriculture, Udaipur during the Rabi, 2022–2023 and 2023–2024 mustard growing seasons to monitor aphid infestation across 15 mustard varieties. Weekly observations were recorded from the initial infestation to harvest. The initial aphid population varied significantly among varieties, with Pusa Bold showing the lowest infestation (23.20aphids/ 10 cm portion) and PBR-210 the highest (146.07aphids/10 cm portion). Aphid populations increased gradually, peaking in the second week of January. During this peak, the lowest aphid population was recorded in DRMR-16-18 (104.40 aphids/10 cm portion) and Maya (107.40 aphids/10 cm portion), while the highest infestation was observed in PBR-210 (255.40 aphids/10 cm portion). After reaching peak infestation, populations declined steadily toward harvest, with Aravali exhibiting the lowest aphid count (1.33 aphids/10 cm portion), while PBR-210 maintained the highest population (20.60 aphids/10 cm portion). The results indicate that certain mustard varieties exhibit greater resistance to aphid infestation, with implications for breeding and pest management strategies.