Diversity of insect and acarine fauna associated with marigold in northern and eastern parts of India

Abstract

Surveys were carried out during the rubi seasons of 2016-18 to enlist the insect and mile fauna associated with marigold in the four regions of northern and eastern parts of India viz., Varanasi of Uttar Pradesh, Chiplima of Sambalpur district, Odisha, Balichak of Paschim Medinipur district and Pundibari of Coochbehar district of West Bengal. Insects belonging to ten orders were recorded and they were either phytophagous vee, Lepidoptera, Diptera, Chysanoptera, Hemiptera and Orthoptera or predatory viz., Coleoptera, Neuroptera, Odonata and Dictyoptera or were pollinating the crop viz., Hymenoptera, Lepidoptera and Diptera. Amongst the pests, aphids (Lipaphus erysimi Kalt, and Myzus persicue (Sulz. 1) were observed as major pests as their damage were more than 10 per cent. Other pests like thrips (Thrips tabaci Lindeman), gram pod boret (Helicoverpa armigera (Hühner), serpentine leaf miner (Liriomyza spp.). mealybug (Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley), painted bug (Nezara viridula (Linnaeus), cowbug (Tricentrus bicolor Distant), Lygar bugs, red spider mite (Tetranychus urticae Koch) ete, were recorded as minor pests of this economically important ornamental crop. This paper envisages the insects and acarines associated with this crop comprehensively from these regions.