Vol. 8, Issue 7 (2019)

Author(s):
R Larinfeli, GT Behere, DM Firake, Bhagawati Sharma, Amrita Banerjee and T Rajesh

Abstract:
The North eastern region of India is one of the mega biodiversity hotspots in the World. The climatic conditions of the region are highly conducive for reproduction and multiplication of insects. The efforts were undertaken to study the biodiversity of major insect pests of cole crops in mid hills of Meghalaya. Limited information is available on insect pests in cole crops ecosystem in mid –hills of Meghalaya. A total of 12 insect pests belonging to four insect orders viz., Lepidoptera (6), Coleoptera (2), Diptera (2), Hemiptera (2) were documented during the year 2014-2015. The large white cabbage butterfly (P. brassicae) green peach aphid (Myzus persicae) and tobacco caterpillar (Spodoptera litura) were found to be the most serious pest of cole crops in this region. Besides, diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella) was also found to be the one of the major pest of late planted cole crops. Striped flea beetle (Phyllotreta striolata), leaf beetle (Monolepta quadriguttata), cabbage looper (Thysanoplusia orichalcea), cabbage stink bug (Eurydema dominolus), small white cabbage butterfly (P. canidia), fruit fly (Bactrocera tau), dipteran fly (Allactoneura sp) and cabbage heart caterpillar (Crocidolomia pavonana) appeared to be a minor pest. The collected species were identified by established taxonomic keys and by taxonomists. The comprehensive data generated from present study would be useful in further understanding of the biodiversity of arthropod fauna associated with cole crops in other regions of the country and this study would certainly have implications for pest management, taxonomy, quarantine and trade and for development of diagnostic guide.