Effect of weather variables and guild interactions in the seasonal patterns of arthropod fauna in Solanum melongena agro-ecosystem

Crop health and pest dynamics in horticultural systems are significantly influenced by climate variability. This study examined the seasonal patterns and ecological interactions of 73 arthropod species associated with brinjal cultivation in Central Research Farm, Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Gayeshpur, Nadia, West Bengal, India, across 11 consecutive crop seasons during 2021-2023. The arthropods were categorized into ecological guilds: sucking, chewing, predatory, and ant groups. Key climatic factors, like – temperature, humidity, and rainfall had notable impacts on species abundance and interspecies relationships, with responses being highly species-specific. Mealybugs and epilachna beetles were most affected by rainfall, while lower temperatures and humidity were strongly associated with increased populations of the brinjal shoot and fruit borer, whiteflies, jassids, and aphids. Arthropod interactions shifted with crop cycles and environmental conditions. Predatory species like spiders and ladybird beetles displayed both antagonistic and complementary relationships with pests, depending on the season. Mutualistic interactions, such as those between ants and aphids, also played a critical role in shaping pest dynamics. These findings underscore the complexity of arthropod interactions in brinjal agroecosystems and highlight the importance of incorporating ecological understanding into adaptive, sustainable pest management strategies amid changing climatic conditions.