A comprehensive study on pest complex of Flemingia spp. from Jorhat, Assam

Abstract

Study on insect pest complex of Flemingia macrophylla (Willd) and Flemingia semialata (Roxb) was carried out in the plots maintained for lac insect conservation under ICAR-Network Project on Conservation of Lac Insect Genetic Resources (NPCLIGR) in the Department of Entomology, Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat from April to December during two consecutive years viz., 2015 and 2016. The results revealed the occurrence of 15 phytophagous pests namely Hyposidra talaca successaria (Walker), Orgyia sp., Somena scintillans (Walker), Euproctis sp., Archips sp., Omiodes diemenalis (Guenee), Dasychira (Olene) mendosa (Hubner), Monolepta signata (Olivier), Apion clavipes (Gerst), Plannococcus sp., Bemisia tabaci (Genn.), Oxyrachis sp., Aphis craccivora (Koch), Jassids and Callosobruchus chinensis (Linn.), infesting the particular host plants. Out of these 15 species, 7 belonged to the order Lepidoptera, 3 Coleoptera and 5 Hemiptera. These pests were categorized as defoliators (9 species), sucking pests (5 species) and stored grain pest (1 species). Pest incidence was more during JulyOctober and declined subsequently. The pests belonging to the order Lepidoptera were found in abundance dominated by Archips sp. followed by the Hemipterans.