Articles
SEASONAL OCCURRENCE OF BER FRUIT WEEVIL, AUBEUS HIMALAYANUS VOSS IN INDIA
Article number
840_64
Pages
455 – 460
Language
English
Abstract
Ber (Ziziphus mauritiana Lamarck) is one of the fruit crops in India.
Ber fruit weevil, Aubeus himalayanus Voss (Curculionidae: Coleoptera) was recorded as a new pest of ber for the first time from Karnataka state of India in 1993. During July-August of 1993 and 1994, some abnormal fruits (5-10%) were noticed in the ber orchards with cultivar Umran.
When such fruits were cut open, the developing seed was completely eaten away by the pest.
In the hollowed area, each of these fruits had a grub, a pupa or an adult which was identified as ber seed weevil. The infested fruits were round in shape and varied in size ranging from pea to pebble.
They had abnormally enlarged calyx and adhered to the fruit in such a way that nearly half portion of the fruit towards petiole turned to reddish brown with rough surface and the remaining half portion towards navel region with greenish colour.
The fruits did not attain maturity and never increased in size more than pebble.
This is because of the fact that the pest fed only on the seed portion of developing fruit and arrested further development of attacked fruit.
Since it was a new pest, its seasonal incidence was not known.
Seasonal occurrence of the pest studied over two seasons indicated that only one peak was observed during July-August months.
Ber fruit weevil, Aubeus himalayanus Voss (Curculionidae: Coleoptera) was recorded as a new pest of ber for the first time from Karnataka state of India in 1993. During July-August of 1993 and 1994, some abnormal fruits (5-10%) were noticed in the ber orchards with cultivar Umran.
When such fruits were cut open, the developing seed was completely eaten away by the pest.
In the hollowed area, each of these fruits had a grub, a pupa or an adult which was identified as ber seed weevil. The infested fruits were round in shape and varied in size ranging from pea to pebble.
They had abnormally enlarged calyx and adhered to the fruit in such a way that nearly half portion of the fruit towards petiole turned to reddish brown with rough surface and the remaining half portion towards navel region with greenish colour.
The fruits did not attain maturity and never increased in size more than pebble.
This is because of the fact that the pest fed only on the seed portion of developing fruit and arrested further development of attacked fruit.
Since it was a new pest, its seasonal incidence was not known.
Seasonal occurrence of the pest studied over two seasons indicated that only one peak was observed during July-August months.
Publication
Authors
R.A. Balikai
Keywords
Ziziphus mauritiana, ber fruit weevil, seasonal incidence, abnormal fruits, enlarged calyx
Online Articles (80)