Incidence of leaf roller, Statherotis leucaspis and tea tortrix, Homona coffearia(Tortricidae: Lepidoptera) on litchi (Litchi chinensis) flowers in India

Padmini Rayudu Sai; Jaipal Singh Choudhary; Vinod Kumar; Swati; Debjani Dey; Bikash Das

doi:10.24154/jhs.v20i1.2507

Authors

Padmini Rayudu Sai ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Hazaribagh , ICAR- Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Hazaribagh , ICAR-Research Complex for Eastern Region , Farming System Research Centre for Hill and Plateau Region, Ranchi Author
Jaipal Singh Choudhary ICAR RCER FSRCHPR, Ranchi , Farming System Research Centre for Hill and Plateau Region, Ranchi , ICAR-Research Complex for Eastern Region Author
Vinod Kumar ICAR-National Research Centre on Litchi, Mushahari, Muzaffarpur - 842 002, Bihar, India , ICAR-National Research Centre on Litchi Author
Swati ICAR-National Research Centre on Litchi, Mushahari, Muzaffarpur - 842 002, Bihar, India , ICAR – National Research Centre on Litchi Author
Debjani Dey Department of Entomology, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Delhi - 110 012, India , Indian Agricultural Research Institute Author
Bikash Das ICAR-Research Complex for Eastern Region , Farming System Research Centre for Hill and Plateau Region, Ranchi , ICAR – National Research Centre on Litchi Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.24154/jhs.v20i1.2507

Keywords:

Flower webber, Homona coffearia, litchi, Statherotis leucaspis, tortricids

Abstract

The litchi leaf roller, Statherotis leucaspis, was reported to attack litchi foliage and the tea tortrix, Homona coffearia, on the bud and foliage of many fruit and plantation crops except litchi in India. The incidence of S. leucaspis and litchi as a new host plant for H. coffearia flowers was observed in two major litchi-growing states (Bihar and Jharkhand) of India during 2021 and 2022. A description of the species, their population dynamics and correlations with weather parameters is presented. Larvae of S. leucaspis and H. coffearia feed in inflorescences through webbing and feeding inside silken webs and tunnelling into immature fruits. The number of webs per inflorescence ranged from 1.58 to 2.05 at flowering to fruit setting phenophase of litchi during 2021 and 2022, respectively. During 2022, the percentage of panicle damage in experimental farms varied from 1.9 to 34.2% and 2.8 to 37.7% in farmers’ fields of Muzaffarpur, Bihar by S. leucaspis. The correlation analyses showed a significant positive correlation (p<0.05) with rainfall for the incidence of H. coffearia, and with temperature for the incidence of S. leucaspis. The studies suggest an urgent need to develop effective and pollinator-friendly management strategies against these additional flower feeder insect pests in litchi.

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Author Biographies

Padmini Rayudu Sai, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Hazaribagh, ICAR- Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Hazaribagh, ICAR-Research Complex for Eastern Region, Farming System Research Centre for Hill and Plateau Region, Ranchi

ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Hazaribagh - 825 405, Jharkhand, India
ICAR-Research Complex for Eastern Region, Farming System Research Centre for Hill and Plateau Region, Ranchi - 834 010,
Jharkhand, India
Jaipal Singh Choudhary, ICAR RCER FSRCHPR, Ranchi, Farming System Research Centre for Hill and Plateau Region, Ranchi, ICAR-Research Complex for Eastern Region

ICAR-Research Complex for Eastern Region, Farming System Research Centre for Hill and Plateau Region, Ranchi - 834 010,
Jharkhand, India
Vinod Kumar, ICAR-National Research Centre on Litchi, Mushahari, Muzaffarpur - 842 002, Bihar, India, ICAR-National Research Centre on Litchi

ICAR-National Research Centre on Litchi, Mushahari, Muzaffarpur - 842 002, Bihar, India
Swati, ICAR-National Research Centre on Litchi, Mushahari, Muzaffarpur - 842 002, Bihar, India, ICAR – National Research Centre on Litchi

ICAR-National Research Centre on Litchi, Mushahari, Muzaffarpur - 842 002, Bihar, India
Debjani Dey, Department of Entomology, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Delhi - 110 012, India, Indian Agricultural Research Institute

Department of Entomology, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Delhi - 110 012, India
Bikash Das, ICAR-Research Complex for Eastern Region, Farming System Research Centre for Hill and Plateau Region, Ranchi, ICAR – National Research Centre on Litchi

ICAR-Research Complex for Eastern Region, Farming System Research Centre for Hill and Plateau Region, Ranchi - 834 010,
Jharkhand, India
ICAR-National Research Centre on Litchi, Mushahari, Muzaffarpur - 842 002, Bihar, India

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