Journal of FARM SCIENCES, Vol 22, No 2 (2009)

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Seasonal occurrence of insect-pests on aonla (Emblica officinalis Geartn) and their natural enemies

T.M. Bharpoda, D.J. Koshiya, D.M. Korat

Abstract


The study on survey and surveillance was carried out on the occurrence of insect pests and their natural enemies on aonla in middle Gujarat region for three years 2002-05. The major pests recorded were Betousa stylophora Swinhoe, Gracillaria acidula (Meyrick), Selepa celtis Moore and Indarbela tetraonis Moore belonging to the order Lepidoptera, Cerciaphis emblica Patel and Kulkarni, Nipaecoccus vastator (Maskell) and Oxyrhachis tarandus Fabricius of  Homoptera, the Myllocerus discolor Boheman of Coleoptera and termite, Odontotermes spp. of  Isoptera.  Among the natural enemies, two species of coccinellid beetles viz., Cheilomenes (Menochilus) sexmaculata Fabr. and Coccinella septempunctata Linn., feeding on aphid and other sucking pests during April to November,  four species of spiders (Neoscona sp., Peucetia sp., Argiope sp. and Oxyopes sp.) feeding on mealy bugs throughout the year  as well as mantids were found preying on different pests of aonla during March to November, except first fortnight of April. Similarly, Cotesia (Apanteles) ruficrus Holiday and Charops obtusus Morley as larval parasitoids and Eucarcelia illota Curran as pupal parasitoid of  S. celtis and Brachymeria sp., as larval parasitoid of  B. stylophora were also observed during study period.

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