Current Science

P. D. Kamala Jayanthi ¹, Ravindra M. Aurade ¹, Vivek Kempraj ¹, Abraham Verghese ²

Affiliations
1 Division of Entomology and Nematology, Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Hesseraghatta Lake PO, Bengaluru 560 089, IN
2 National Bureau of Agriculturally Important Insects, Bengaluru 560 024, IN

Abstract

'Baits' are substances that attract, trap and kill pests. In horticultural practice, baits are used to trap insect pests, thereby diverting them from cultivated crops. An important insect pest that can be managed using baits is the fruit-piercing moth (FPM), Eudocima species. These frugivorous moths are distributed throughout India and inflict serious damage to a wide range of cultivated fruits. In southern India, pomegranate cultivation is escalating and so is the fruit damage caused by FPM. The damage by FPM alone sums up to 40% of the production, thus causing heavy loss to farmers. However, existing control measures are ineffective in reducing damage caused by the moths. In the present communication, we study the feeding preference of FPM to banana, guava, tomato and molasses in multiple and limited-choice field experiments. The results indicate that the moths are attracted to bait fruits, viz. banana, guava compared to the main crop, pomegranate. We conclude that using these aromatic fruits as baits, we can divert the moths from the main crop, which will serve as an economically viable control measure.

Keywords

Aromatic Fruits, Baits, Fruit-Piercing Moths, Olfaction, Pomegranate.

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P. D. Kamala Jayanthi ¹, A. K. Chakravarthy ¹, T. Raghava ¹, Vivek Kempraj ¹, S. C. Jyothi ¹, Sandeep Singh ²

Affiliations
1 Division of Entomology and Nematology, Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Hesseraghatta Lake P.O, Bengaluru 560 089, IN
2 Department of Fruit Science, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana 141 004, IN

Abstract

Tephritids are major insect pests of horticulture crops across the globe with high genetic diversity, taxonomic complexity, ethology, pest management and quarantine issues. There are nearly 5000 species described under 500 genera of Tephritidae with re-categorization occurring constantly with deeper taxonomic investigations.

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P. D. Kamala Jayanthi ¹, M. R. Dinesh ², M. Sankaran ², P. Saravan Kumar ¹, Vivek Kempraj ¹, M. A. Ravindra ¹, D. V. Sudhakar Rao ³

Affiliations
1 Division of Entomology and Nematology, ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Hessaraghatta Lake PO, Bengaluru 560 089, IN
2 Division of Fruit Crops, ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Hessaraghatta Lake PO, Bengaluru 560 089, IN
3 Division of Post-Harvest Technology, ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Hessaraghatta Lake PO, Bengaluru 560 089, IN

Abstract

No Abstract.

Keywords

No Keywords.

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P. D. Kamala Jayanthi ¹, Vivek Kempraj ¹, M. A. Ravindra ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Entomology and Nematology, Indian Institute of Horticulture Research, Hessaraghatta Lake Post, Bengaluru 560 089, IN

Abstract

The present study hypothesized that sequential ovipo-sition behaviour of mango leaf webber, Orthaga exvi-nacea in/near conspecific webs, affects the cohort composition within the web as well as web density in a particular tree, resulting in a multicohort composition of webs and gregarious webbing in the orchard. The active O. exvinacea webs contained mixed cohorts of developmental stages involving eggs, larvae (I–VII in-stars) and pupae (μ = 6.50, σ² = 55.23). Taylor’s pow-er law further supported the cohort variability with fluctuating b (aggregation index) across different age groups of webs, which explained heterogeneity within the web composition. Olfactometer assays and electro-antennogram studies further revealed significant dif-ferences in the response of gravid female to volatiles of different web categories. GC-EAD identified potent chemical cues, namely (E)-2-hexenal, (Z)-3-hexen-1-ol, (Z)-3-hexen-1-ol, formate, β-ocimene, β-linalool, alloocimene, cis-3-hexenyl iso-butyrate, cis-3-hexenyl-α-methylbutyrate, δ-octalactone, (+)-α-copaene, methyleugenol, trans caryophyllene, (–)-α-gurjunene, α-humulene, (+)-aromadendrene and ledene that elic-ited antennal response in O. exvinacea female moths. Thus, the results of this study indicate that O. exvina-cea moths oviposit in/near conspecific webs pointing to the existence of social facilitation in these moths.

Keywords

Conspecific Webs, Mango Orchards, Or-thaga exvinacea, Oviposition, Social Facilitation.

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