EFFECT OF SOWING DATES AND SEEDING RATES ON SCHIZAPHIS GRAMINUM IN WHEAT CROP.

The current study was conducted at Arid Zone Research Institute (AZRI), Bhakkar, Pakistan during 2016-2017 to determine the effect of sowing dates and seed rates on aphid population in wheat crop. For this purpose six sowing dates (SD); SD1 30-10-2016; SD2 10-11-2016; SD3 20-11-2016; SD4 30-11-2016; SD5 10-12-2016; SD6 20-12-2016; and five seed rates (SR); SR1 30kg/acre; SR2 40Kg/acre; SR3 50Kg/acre; SR4 60Kg/acre; SR5 70Kg/acre were applied. No chemical treatments were applied on experiment. The aphid's infestation results revealed that aphids attack started on 24^th February then its number gradually increased, peak aphid's population was recorded at 2^nd March. Highest aphids attack was recorded on SD3 (20-11-2016) with the mean number of aphids (77.85/5tillers) and least aphids attack recorded on SD6 (20-12-2016) with the mean number of aphids (12.35/5tillers). The TW11510 advanced line have less mean number of aphids (38.23/5tillers) while UJALA-2016 wheat variety was greatly infested with mean number of aphids (60.67/5tillers). The seed rates 50Kg/acre have higher mean number of aphids (55.26/5tillers) but lower mean number (43.05/5tillers) noted at 70kg/acre. Greater yield (6869.7kgha^-1 ) produced by SD2 (10-11-2016), seed rate with higher yield (6358.7kgha^-1) recorded at 50kg/acre, TW11510 have higher yield (6059.3kgha^-1) than UJALA-2016 wheat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]