STATUS AND STRATEGIES FOR RED BANDED MANGO CATERPILLAR (RBMC), DEANOLIS ALBIZONALIS (HAMPSON) (LEPIDOPTERA: PYRALIDAE) - AN EMERGING PEST IN EASTERN INDIA

摘要

Red-banded mango caterpillar, Deanolis albizonalis (Hampson) is a monophagous pest on mango, Mangifera indica (Anacardiaceae) in many regions of Southeast Asia. Larvae bore on apex or narrow tip of the fruit as early as pea stage causing severe fruitdamage. The pest is widely distributed from India to Australia. The pest has been sighted in the east coast of India, mostly in West Bengal, Orissa, Bihar and Andhra Pradesh causing fairly high damage to the tune of 42 percent. It is absent in the majormango belts of south, north and west India. The biology and life history of RBMC is not completely understood as it is poorly studied insect. Some information on biology and management is however, available. Pheromone of this pest has been identified inPNG and some IPM modules have also been proposed in India but these are not much effective. Higher damage level (up to 42 per cent) and its spread over the time and years in Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, West Bengal and Bihar indicated the seriousness of thisemerging pest in eastern India. The information generated on this pest in India and abroad by different workers is scattered. The present paper highlights the distribution, damage, up to date work on this pest across the world including India in order tohave better understanding and future research work to formulate appropriate management strategy of this pest.