Affiliation:
1. Forest College and Research Institute
2. Tamil Nadu Agricultural University
3. Indian Forest Service, Officer Trainee, Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy
4. Technical Partner, Sumuka Herbals
Abstract
Psyllids are reported to be serious pests of woody species, preferably seedlings. The classical studies conducted in the pest have concluded the presence of profound influence of both, inter and intra specific host plants on the growth and developmental stages of the insect pests. A study was undertaken to evaluate the intra 11 seed sources of Albizia lebbeck (L.) Benth. and inter specific influence of five Albizia spp. (A. amara, A. chinensis, A. falcataria, A.guachepele, A. odoratissima and A. lebbeck) on the growth and development of life stages of Acizzia indica (Heslop- Harrison), a serious psyllid pest on seedling and sapling of A. lebbeck in India. Profound influence of seed sources on the life stages of psyllid was found. Psyllid took longer duration to complete egg, nymphal stages but shorter duration for adult stage on KA-2 seed source (3.92 ± 0.38, 17.08 ± 1.84 and 8.35 ± 2.76 days respectively) and KA-5 and TN-2 seed sources followed it. Psyllid completed egg and nymphal stages quickly and survived for long as adult on HP-2 seed source (1.92 ± 0.14, 9.83 ± 0.38 and 13.58 ± 0.88 days respectively) while HP-1 seed source just preceded it. Among different Albizia species, psyllid could survive and complete normal life cycle only on A. lebbeck, and survived till adult stage on A. chinensis. Nymphs of A. indica died within 4.33 ± 0.38 days on A. falcataria, 5.25 ± 0.5 days on A.gauchepele, 6.50 ± 0.25 on A. amara and 8.25 ± 0.25 on A. odoratissima. In general psyllids took longer generation time on resistant genotypes while shorter generation time on susceptible genotypes. The study concluded the presence of constitutive (among different Albizia species) as well as induced differences (among seed sources of A. lebbeck) against psyllid A. indica.
Publisher
Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh
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