Distribution Of Aleurodicus Dispersus Russell (Homoptera : Aleyrodidiae) With Reference To Host Plants And Natural Enemies From Nashik District, Maharashtra, India

Research Article
Ashok E Desai* and Seema Gupta
DOI: 
xxx-xxxxx-xxxx
Subject: 
science
KeyWords: 
Spiralling whitefly, Maharashtra, Distribution, Host range, Natural enemies
Abstract: 

Studies were undertaken regarding host plant, infestation level and natural enemies of Aleurodicus dispersus Russell (Spiralling whitefly) from Nasik district, Maharashtra, India. Spiralling whitefly stated as a quarantine pest have vast distribution in many tropical and subtropical regions of the world including India. This sucking pest is also observed and recorded in many states of India such as Kerala, Tamilnadu, Karnataka and Maharashtra. As Maharashtra is a state with large diversity of ornamental plants along with many important crop plants which are affected by sucking pest leading to massive loss, there is a need for survey and record of these pest from all important agricultural regions. The distribution of this sucking pest from Nasik district was found on nine plant species including some horticultural and ornamental plants. Infestation level of this pest was graded in four scales and interpreted as percent of damage caused in different seasons for period from October 2013 to December 2014. Natural enemies including predators and parasitoids from insect family Coccinellidae and Aphelinidae were recorded feeding on various developmental stages of spiraling whitefly during summer and rainy seasons. Thus, a survey of present whitefly Aleurodicus dispersus Russell (Spiraling whitefly) from Nasik district will significantly add to the present knowledge of this pest.