Natural incidence of agromyzid fly on broomrape

摘要

Broomrapes (Orobanche spp.) are total root parasitic flowering plants that occur in many agriculturally important crops in India. The most important and common species found in India are O. crenata, O. ramosa and O. aegyptiaca on solaneceous vegetables, tomato, brinjal and potato and O. cernua on mustard and tobacco. During survey conducted by the authors in the Billua village (26°02'59,32"N; 78°17'00.03"E) of Gwalior district in Madhya Pradesh, India during January 2013, brinjal (Solanum melongena) with chili pepper (Capsicum annuum) as inter crop, were found infested by Orobanche crenata. In the same field flowering stalks of some O. crenata were found in various stages of drying, while the host was still healthy and alive. Closer observation ofthe uprooted stalks revealed the bore holes and extensive tunnels with tiny brown pupae and small white maggots, feeding on the capsules, succulent stalk and tubercles. The field was then marked, number of infected O. crenata stalks counted (Table 1) and collected in polythene bags for detailed studies in the laboratory.