Biology Of Alcidodes Signatus On Phaseolus vulgaris l. From Kishtwar (J&K, India)

Research Article
Shivani Kotwal and Sanjay Bhatia
DOI: 
xxx-xxxxx-xxxx
Subject: 
science
KeyWords: 
Biology, Phaseolus vulgaris L., Alcidodes signatus, Kishtwar.
Abstract: 

Phaseolus vulgaris popularly known as Rajmash is characterised as a nearly perfect food cultivated throughout the globe for its edible fruit either the green pods or dry seeds. It is an important economic crop acting as ready cash for the growers. Because of having so much food value and economic importance, it becomes an important aspect to know more about this crop. Keeping this in view, the present work was done for the first time in the District Kishtwar of Jammu and Kashmir state. During investigation several insects were found causing significant damage to the standing crop and out of all, Alcidodes signatus (Coleoptera:Curculionidae), a gall inducing weevil was recorded as a major insect pest. Adults and grubs both feeds upon the host plant but grubs were seen more destructive. After hatching, the grubs tunnels inside the stem or branches and makes galleries where they pass all its larval stages. Infestation results in the formation of a characteristic rough nodule like structure known as galls on the stem and branches of plant and thus decreases the yield as well as the market value of this important cash crop of the area.