31 Jul Bio control agents of leaf webworm, Acria meyricki (Lepidoptera: Depressariidae) in oil palm gardens
तेल ताड़ के बगीचों में लीफ वेबवर्म, एक्रिया मायरिकी (लेपिडोप्टेरा: डिप्रेसारिडे) के लिए जैव नियंत्रण एजेंट Oil palm, Elaeis guineensis Jacq.(Family: Arecaceae) is the richest source of vegetable oil with high yield levels of more than 5 tonnes of oil per ha per annum compared to other oil seeds crops that give less than 1 ton. The productivity of the crop is often challenged by water stress, drought, biotic stresses like pests and diseases and constraints related with nutrient management. Since irrigation is given at regular intervals, the micro climate with high humidity is created, which makes congenial conditions for pests and diseases development. It is reported that the oil palms in India are being attacked by a number of insect pests. In recent years, leaf webworm, Acria meyricki Shashank and Ramamurthy (Lepidoptera: Depressariidae) (Figure 1) is emerging as serious defoliator in many of the oil palm gardens of West Godavari, Krishna and East Godavari districts of Andhra Pradesh, India. However, the infestation is not uniform in those districts which ranged from low to severe form (Figure 2).A yield loss of up to 34 % is reported due to infestation of leaf web worm. The perennial nature of palms and monocropping system as practiced in many locations provide ample opportunities for the build-up of this...