Year : 2023, Volume : 85, Issue : 4
First page : ( 898) Last page : ( 902)
Print ISSN : 0367-8288. Online ISSN : 0974-8172. Published online : 2023 December 04.
Article DOI : 10.55446/IJE.2022.1515

Competitive Regulation of Dominant Exotic Whiteflies on Coconut Palms as Influenced by Biotic and Abiotic Factors

Logeshkumar P^1,*, Nalini R¹, Josephrajkumar A², Chandramani P¹, Mini M L¹, Singh R Durai¹, Murugan M³, Suresh K¹

¹Department of Agricultural Entomology, Agricultural College and Research Institute, Madurai, 625104, Tamil Nadu, India

²ICAR-CPCRI, Central Plantation Crop Research Institute, Regional Station, Kayamkulam690533, Kerala, India

³Department of Agricultural Entomology, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore641003, Tamil Nadu, India

^*Email: logeshkumar.raj@gmail.com (corresponding author): ORCID ID 0009-0009-1600-4309

Online Published on 04 January, 2024.

Received:  April,  2023; :  July,  2023; Accepted:  July,  2023; :  July,  2023.

Abstract

In the recent past, exotic whiteflies viz., Aleurodicus rugioperculatus, Paraleyrodes bondari, Paraleyrodes minei and Aleurotrachelus atratus are infesting coconut plantations in India. Based on the damage potential, the predominant species are the rugose spiralling whitefly, A. rugioperculatus and the Bondars nesting whitefly, P. bondari. A study was undertaken to determine the seasonal incidence and population dynamics of these in the new invasion region at Karungalakudi block of Madurai district from 33^rd standard meteorological week (SMW) of 2021 to 32^nd SMW of 2022. The results indicated that A. rugioperculatus incidence rose considerably from the first week of April (10.9 adults/ leaflet) to third week of May (8.3 adults/ leaflet; while P. bondari reached maximum during the third week of March (71.99 adults/ leaflet) and extended up to first week of June (67.57 adults/ leaflet) coinciding with summer months with high temperature and limited precipitation. Subsequently, their incidence declined with the onset of north east monsoon coupled with parasitism by Encarsia guadeloupae and predation by chrysopids from third-week of August to fourth-week of December in 2021. The extent of parasitism by E. guadeloupae on A. rugioperculatus nymphs was positively correlated and ranged from 40% (third week of August, 33^rd SMW, 2021) to 84% (second week of June 2022, 24^th SMW). Chrysopids revealed a highly significant positive correlation with the incidence.

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Keywords

Aleurodicus rugioperculatus, Paraleyrodes bondari, Invasive whiteflies; weather factors, Parasitism, Predation, Encarsia guadeloupae, Green lacewings.

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