Influence of abiotic factors on sucking insect-pests of Indian gooseberry (Emblica officinalis Gaertn) in northern plains of India

Abstract

Various insect-pests have been reported with the start of intensification and commercialization in cultivation
aonla. Weekly surveys on 4 randomly selected plants of NA-7 cultivar were conducted to study the influence
of abiotic factors on population/ infestation of sucking insect-pests of Indian gooseberry consecutively for two
years. Three peaks in population of aphid on the blossom bud stage were recorded, first in 20th SW (May) with
35.31 and 34.75 aphids/ branchlet, second in 24th SW (June) with 28.00 and 27.56 aphids/ branchlet and third in
36th SW (September) with 8.81 and 7.44 aphids/ branchlet, respectively during both the years. The fluctuating
population of nymphs of Aonla bug (M. sp. nr spangbergii) have been recorded throughout the year except
from 10th-13th SW (March) during first year and 1st and 10th-13th SW in second year, where no population have
been observed. Two activity periods of nymphs of mango mealy bug, D. mangiferae were recorded. The pest
was found active with fluctuating population from 1st-13th SW (January-March) and again from 41st-52nd SW
(October-December) during both the years. However, in case of mealybug, N. vastator, the infestation of pest
occurred from 14th-44th SW (April-October) with peak activity in 22nd SW (May) during first year and 14th-43rd SW
(April-October) with peak activity in 40th SW (October) during second year