Year: 2026 | Month: June | Volume 13 | Issue 1
Host Plant-Mediated Variation in Mustard Aphid (Lipaphis erysimi Kaltenbach) Abundance among Popular Rapeseed–Mustard Cultivars in Coastal Agroecosystem
Abhijit Ghosal*
Madhurima Dutta
Prasenjit Kundu and Anupam Mukherjee
DOI:10.30954/2347-9655.01.2026.9
Abstract :
Rapeseed–mustard (Brassica spp.) is a globally important oilseed crop, and its interaction with herbivorous insects is largely regulated by the glucosinolate–myrosinase defence system. Hydrolysis of glucosinolates produces bioactive isothiocyanates that influence herbivore feeding behaviour, survival, and host acceptance. The mustard aphid, Lipaphis erysimi Kaltenbach, is a major constraint to rapeseed–mustard production, and its population dynamics are influenced by host genotype, biochemical composition, and plant characteristics. The present study was conducted to evaluate the performance of ten popular rapeseeds–mustard cultivars in relation to plant growth traits, glucosinolate content, and mustard aphid abundance under coastal agroecosystem conditions of Satjelia, Gosaba, South 24 Parganas, West Bengal, India. Data were analyzed using Duncan’s Multiple Range Test (DMRT), correlation analysis, and cluster analysis. Aphid infestation was minimal during the vegetative stage and increased substantially during the reproductive phase, attaining peak population during flowering. Significant variation was observed among cultivars for glucosinolate content, ranging from 78.8 μmol g?¹ in Binoy to 165.35 μmol g?¹ in Bhagirathi. Aphid abundance showed a negative association with glucosinolate concentration, indicating the role of glucosinolate-mediated defence in suppressing L. erysimi population development. Siliqua per plant and seeds per siliqua exhibited negative relationships with aphid abundance, whereas plant height, primary branches, siliqua length, and 100-seed weight showed positive associations. Cluster analysis revealed distinct grouping of cultivars based on morphological traits, glucosinolate content, and aphid response. The study highlights significant cultivar-dependent variation in mustard aphid abundance and demonstrates the importance of biochemical defence, particularly glucosinolate accumulation, in regulating aphid infestation. Glucosinolate-rich cultivars may serve as valuable resources for resistance breeding and sustainable integrated pest management strategies in rapeseed–mustard production systems.
Highlights
- Ten rapeseed–mustard cultivars showed distinct aphid infestation patterns.
- Aphid infestation peaked at flowering, reaching 37.1 aphids/10 cm shoot.
- B54 (Agrani) recorded lowest peak aphid population, 15.4 aphids/10 cm.
- Glucosinolate content ranged from 78.8 to 165.35 μmol g⁻¹.
- Glucosinolates negatively correlated with aphid abundance (r = −0.598).
- Kranti recorded highest seed yield of 6.65 q ha⁻¹.
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