Indian Journal of Entomology 83(2021) Online published Ref. No. e20266 DoI No.: 10.5958/0974-8172.2020.00239.4

FIRST RECORD OF ARISTOBIA RETICULATOR (VOET) ON AONLA EMBLICA OFFICINALIS GAERTN

M M Kumawat* and L Wangchu1

College of Agriculture, Agriculture University, Jodhpur 342304, Rajasthan 1College of Horticulture and Forestry, Central Agricultural University, Pasighat 791102, Arunachal Pradesh *Email: [email protected] (corresponding author)

ABSTRACT

For the first time, stem borerAristobia reticulator (Voet) has been recorded on Indian gooseberry or aonla Emblica officinalis Gaertn., from the northeastern region of India. Roving and fixed plot surveys were conducted to assess its incidence in plantations, where 58.9% damage was observed. Most of the trees were infested by >2 larvae/ tree. It was also observed that older trees are more prone as female prefers these bigger and previously injured trees for oviposition. Larva progressively move downwards while feeding and travels 142.6- 178.7 cm inside the tunnels. The larval tunnels were short in young plantations and longer in aonla compared to litchi. The body measurements of all stages on A. reticulator were shorter on aonla compared with litchi. preferred to lay eggs on litchi, followed by aonla, whereas guava was the least preferred host for oviposition.

Key words: Stem borer, Aristobia reticulator, host preference, oviposition, biology, new host, gooseberry, Emblica officinalis, Phyllanthus emblica, larval tunnels, litchi, guava

Indian gooseberry or aonla Emblica officinalis guava (Psidium guajava L.), litchi (L. chinensis Sonn.), Gaertn. (=Phyllanthus emblica L.) (Euphorbiaceae) is China-rose (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis L.), pigeon pea an important medicinal fruit in several Asian countries. (Cajanus cajan L.), shiral (Microcos paniculata L.) In India, aonla is cultivated on about 91,000 ha, with a and flannel weed Sida( cardifolia L.) as new hosts production of about 9,89,000 mt/year (Saxena, 2017). (Shylesha et al., 2000; Agarwala and Bhattacharjee, Aonla was comparatively considered to be free from 2015; Kumawat et al., 2017; Jayashankar, 2020) and pests, but after commercial cultivation, a number recently on aonla. In view of the above, studies were of insect pests had been reported, but only some of conducted to assess the incidence of A. reticulator on them cause significant damage (Bharpoda et al., 2009; aonla plantations in the northeastern region of India. Haldhar et al., 2019). In recent past, a stem borer MATERIALS AND METHODS Aristobia reticulator (Voet) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) invaded the northeastern region of India. This pest was Roving and fixed plot surveys were conducted to first reported in India in 1997 as stem borer of guava access the incidence of A. reticulator in aonla orchards (Shylesha et al., 2000). Thereafter, it was reported to and sporadic trees of northeastern region of India during cause significant damage in litchi plantations of the January 2017 to October 2019. The surveyed area lies northeastern India (Kumawat et al., 2017). Recently, the between 27°43ʹN to 29°20ʹN and 94°42ʹE to 95°15ʹE aonla trees of northeastern region of India were severely at 150–529 masl. The first infestation was reported in damaged by A. reticulator. This is the first detection of the orchards of College of Horticulture and Forestry, A. reticulator on aonla plantations, which was earlier Pasighat, Arunachal Pradesh. In order to capture the reported on litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn.) and longan beetles, borer affected branches of aonla trees were (Dimocarpus longan Lour.) trees from China, Vietnam, identified by the presence of frass or chewed wooden Malaysia, Myanmar, Laos and Thailand (Kumawat particles. After detection, the stems or branch portion et al., 2015; Agarwala and Bhattacharjee, 2015). The containing the active holes were wrapped with nylon northeastern region of India is covered with subtropical mesh (40) and tied with thread to trap the beetles inside dense forest and shares its border with China and in the beginning of June. Enough space was left for Myanmar, from where this pest might have invaded. free movement of and to avoid the cutting of Now, the pest is increasing its host range including nylon mesh by beetles (Figs. 1 a-c). The beetles started 2 Indian Journal of Entomology 83(2021) Online published Ref. No. e20266 emerging in mid-June and trapped in mesh (Fig. 1 d). A in phloem tissues for healing injury (Fig. 1 n). Most of total of 287 aonla trees were examined from orchards the cerambycid beetles prefer sickly, damaged or injured and sporadic trees at different locations. Observations trees for oviposition (Lu et al., 2011). were taken to document the damage level, dead trees, infested branches with exit holes, feeding tunnels and Damage parameters were also observed from the bark fed by adults as per age of trees. Ten affected infested trees from surveyed area (Table 3). The beetles branches from each location were selected and split for generally laid their eggs under bark near crotch angle recording data on damage parameters. Morphometrics of branches (Fig. 1 e). Eggs were also deposited on of eggs, fully matured larvae, pupae and adults were slender branches. The diameter of branches for eggs observed from 10 individuals reared in orchard trees deposition was 18.2-22.4 mm. Larval tunnel was oval to find out host suitability over litchi. Oviposition having 5.8-7.1 mm height, whereas width was 12.9- preference was also studied by comparing previously 14.3 mm with mature grubs. Larvae always moved borer infested and healthy trees. Old emergence holes downward during feeding and travelled 142.6-178.7 were identified by formation of callus and phloem cm long resulting in extensive damage (Fig. 1 f-g). tissues inside for wound healing. Larva excavated brownish faecal pellets and wooden particles through ejection hole in frequent intervals RESULTS AND DISCUSSION (Fig. 1 j-k). The larval tunnels were longer in aonla as compared to Kumawat et al. (2017) on litchi. Pupal cells The occurrence of A. reticulator on aonla trees in were observed just beneath the bark; breadth ranged different parts of Arunachal Pradesh was observed with 10.8-12.2 mm, whereas length varied 25.5-31.3 mm varying levels of infestations. The beetles were found (Fig. 1 m). The diameter of branches in which exit feeding on the bark of tender twigs causing girdling holes found ranged between 64.2- 96.7 mm. The larval from June to August. A total 287 trees, 4-15 years old tunnels were shorter in younger trees, what is given by were examined from 15 locations of which 58.9% trees are preferred older and bigger trees for oviposition. were damaged by larva. Among affected trees, 30.8% Many cerambycids prefer hosts having large diameter trees were infested by one larva/ tree, whereas 19.5 of stem for oviposition, which would provide most food and 17.8% of infested trees were attacked by 2 and 3 resources for larva (Morewood et al., 2003; Lu et al., larvae/ tree, respectively and remaining 31.9% damaged 2011). Larvae fed up to 9-10 months and only single trees infested by 4-10 larvae/ tree (Table 1). Older generation was reported in aonla. The average diameter trees were severely affected, as the numerous larvae of emergence hole was 11.1 mm (Fig. 1 h). were reported on single tree. The shoots or branches of 36.1% of infested trees died due to heavy tunneling by The eggs were white, elongate oval (Fig. 1 e); mean grubs in xylem tissues; 2.4% of the affected trees died length was 4.7 mm, whereas the width 2.3 mm. Matured due to heavy tunneling in the main stem. Litchi trees grubs were 32.8 mm long and 7.0 mm wide (Fig. 1 i), were also infested by large numbers of larvae/ plant whereas pupae measured 24.1 mm long and 8.1 mm (Kumawat et al., 2017). wide (Fig. 1 m). Female beetles were 30.9 mm long and Preference for egg laying was also studied on 11.4 mm wide, whereas males were shorter (Table 4). different host plants as well as between infested and All the stages of A. reticulator found in aonla trees were healthy trees. Total of 806 trees of aonla, litchi and shorter when compared with earlier study by Kumawat guava were examined in 2018 and 2019, of which et al. (2017) on litchi. Larvae in poor quality hosts 76.7% affected trees were previously infested, and develop into adults of small size (Hanks, 1999). Thus, only 23.3% affected trees were fresh. Particularly in present study reveals that the beetles prefer to lay eggs aonla, 66% affected trees were previously infested by on litchi, followed by aonla, whereas guava is the least A. reticulator. Litchi and guava are the alternate hosts preferred host. Maximum incidence of A. reticulator of A. reticulator, therefore, oviposition preference was observed in the plantations weakens trees and leads to observed on these. Observations revealed that 82.6% decline of orchards. Most of the beetles preferred to lay of litchi and 89.9% of guava trees were affected which eggs on earlier injured plants and more than one larva were previously injured by its larvae; female of A. was found on single host. The oviposition preference reticulator prefer these trees for oviposition (Table 2). to injured plants also support the Hopkins principal The presence of old emergence hole in trees before of host selection in which species prefer to breed in oviposition was considered as previously damaged or host which has adapted by their previous survivors injured. These holes became compact and callus formed (Craighead, 1921). First record of Aristobia reticulator (Voet) on aonla Emblica officinalis Gaertn 3 M M Kumawat and L Wangchu

Table 1. Incidence and level of larval infestation of A. reticulator in Arunachal Pradesh

Location Trees No. of No. of Branches No. of trees infested by feeding larval % observed affected trees killed number/ tree incidence trees killed 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Pasighat 122 62 2 23 24 11 12 2 3 2 2 3 2 1 50.8 Boying 7 5 0 2 1 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 71.4 Oyan 21 8 1 1 2 3 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 38.1 Roing 8 6 0 2 1 2 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 75.0 Tigra 10 7 0 2 1 1 2 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 70.0 Rasam 7 5 0 3 1 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 71.4 5-mile 17 11 1 8 2 1 2 1 2 0 0 1 1 1 64.7 Takilalung 11 10 0 3 3 2 1 2 0 1 0 1 0 0 90.9 Napit 12 8 0 2 2 2 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 66.7 Sipi 14 9 0 2 1 1 3 0 2 1 1 0 0 0 64.3 Mebo 15 11 0 3 5 1 1 0 2 0 1 1 0 0 73.3 Motum 8 6 0 4 2 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 75.0 Sibo 13 7 0 1 3 0 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 53.8 Sibut 10 6 0 2 1 3 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 60.0 Ledum 12 8 0 3 3 2 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 66.7 Total 287 169 4 61 52 33 30 13 14 8 7 7 3 2 58. 9

Table 2. Egg laying preference of A. reticulator (previously infested vs. uninfested trees)

Trees / Infested No. of trees with old emergence exit hole(s)/ Egg laying % year trees tree before fresh egg laying on un- preference observed infested on already 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9  10 trees infested trees 2018 Aonla 165 36 12 15 11 6 6 2 2 2 1 72 56.4 Litchi 180 23 27 19 21 18 12 8 3 2 2 45 75.0 Guava 52 7 3 9 8 6 4 3 2 1 0 9 82.7 2019 Aonla 170 22 37 15 18 13 7 8 3 3 2 42 75.3 Litchi 182 20 25 28 20 23 19 13 9 4 3 18 90.1 Guava 57 3 8 4 10 9 7 5 4 3 2 2 96.5 Total 806 111 112 90 88 75 55 39 23 15 10 188

Table 3. Damage parameters in aonla caused by A. reticulator

Diameter of Diameter of branch on Stem tunnel of mature Length of Size of pupal cell Diameter branch/ stem Tree age which eggs larva (mm) larval tunnel (mm) of exit hole with exit were laid (cm) (mm) hole (mm) (mm) Height Width Breadth Length 4-5 years 18.2 ± 4.7 5.8 ± 1.3 12.9 ± 1.8 142.6 ± 18.6 10.8 ± 0.8 25.5 ± 1.5 10.2 ± 1.1 64.2 ± 13.0 6-10 years 21.3 ± 5.4 6.9 ± 1.1 13.2 ± 1.2 162.4 ± 22.4 11.2 ± 1.0 29.7 ± 1.9 11.3 ± 1.2 85.1 ± 10.8 11–15 years 22.1 ± 5.8 7.1 ± 1.2 14.1 ± 1.7 172.7 ± 36.3 11.8 ± 1.3 31.3 ± 1.5 11.4 ± 1.3 96.7 ± 17.5 >15 years 22.4 ± 7.1 7.0 ± 1.3 14.3 ± 1.8 178.7 ± 28.7 12.2 ±1.5 30.8 ± 1.8 11.3 ± 1.5 93.8 ± 23.4 Overall mean 21.0 ± 5.7 6.7 ± 1.2 13.6 ± 1.6 164.1 ± 26.5 11.5 ± 1.2 29.3 ± 1.7 11.1 ± 1.3 85.0 ± 16.18 Mean ± standard deviation are based on 10 observations for each age group of trees. 4 Indian Journal of Entomology 83(2021) Online published Ref. No. e20266

FigFig.s 1. aa-n.-n. BeetleBeetle capture capture technique, technique, life stageslife stages and feeding and feeding activities activities of Aristobia of Aristobia reticulator reticulator; a. adult; b.; wrapping a. adult; ofb. nylon wrapping mesh onof nylonstem to meshcapture on emerging stem to beetles; capture c. cutemerging nylon mesh beetles; by beetles c. cut due nylon to tight mesh wrapping; by beetles d. trapped due beetleto tight in mesh;wrapping; e. fresh d. egg trapped under beetlethe bark in of mesh; twigs; e. f. fyoungresh egg larva under inside the tunnel; bark g.of severetwigs; tunneling f. young in larva branches; inside h. tunnel; fresh emergence g. severe hole; tunneling i. mature in branches;larva; j. frass h. fexcavatedresh emergence by larva; hole;k. ejection i. m holeature for larva; frass; l.j. cutting frass ofexcavated infested branched by larva; for k.observations; ejection hole m. pupa; for frass; n. old emergencel. cutting holeof infested in stem. branched for observations; m. pupa; n. old emergence hole in stem.

10

First record of Aristobia reticulator (Voet) on aonla Emblica officinalis Gaertn 5 M M Kumawat and L Wangchu

Table 4. Morphometrics of A. reticulator on aonla trees

Length (mm) Width (mm) Stage n Mean ±SD Range Mean ±SD Range Egg 10 4.7 ±0.26 4.2 - 5.1 2.3 ±0.13 1.9 – 2.5 Grub 10 32.8 ±3.89 27.2 – 38.2 7.0 ±0.66 6.2 – 7.8 Pupa 10 24.1 ±1.94 20.7 – 27.2 8.1 ±0.91 7.4 – 10.1 Adult (Male) 10 23.3 ±1.43 21.6 – 26.5 8.2 ±0.84 7.3 – 10.0 Adult (Female) 10 30.9 ±2.83 27.4 – 35.3 11.4 ±0.57 10.5 – 12.3

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Jayashankar M. 2020. incidence on Sida cardifolia in Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh. Zoo’s Print 35(2): 19–21. This work was supported by the Central Agricultural Kumawat M M, Singh K M, Wangchu, L. 2017. First report of an University, Imphal. The authors thank the Dean, College invasive longhorn beetle, Aristobia reticulator (Voet) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) in litchi, Litichi chinensis Sonn. (Sapindaceae), in of Horticulture and Forestry, Pasighat, Arunachal India. The Coleopterists Bulletin 71(1): 131-136. Pradesh for providing facilities. Kumawat M M, Singh K M, Ramamurthy V V. 2015. A checklist of the long-horned beetles (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) of Arunachal REFERENCES Pradesh, northeastern India with several new reports. Journal of Threatened Taxa 7(12): 7879-7901. Agarwala B K, Bhattacharjee P P. 2015. Redescription of Aristobia reticulator (F., 1781) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: ), Lu W, Wang Q, Tian M Y, Xu J, Qin A Z, He L, Jia B, Cai J J. 2011. Host with a taxonomic note and record of a new food plant for adults selection and colonization strategies with evidence for a female- in northeastern India. The Coleopterists Bulletin 69(2): 205-212. produced oviposition attractant in a longhorn beetle. Environmental Entomology 40(6): 1487-93. Bharpoda T M, Koshiya D J, Korat D M. 2009. Seasonal occurrence Morewood W D, Neiner P R, Mcneil J R, Sellmer J C, Hoover K. 2003. of insect-pests on aonla (Emblica officinalis Geartn) and their Oviposition preference and larval performance of Anoplophora natural enemies. Karnataka Journal of Agricultural Sciences glabripnnis (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) in four eastern North 22(2): 314-318. American hardwood tree species. Environmental Entomology Craighead F C. 1921. Hopkins host selection principal as related to 32(5): 1028-1034. certain cerambycid beetles. Journal of Agricultural Research Saxena M. 2017. Horticultural statistics at a glance- 2017. Horticulture 22(4): 189-220. Statistics Division, Department of Agriculture, Cooperation & Haldhar S M, Ram C, Singh D. 2019. Biotic stress (insect) of aonla Farmers Welfare, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, (Emblica officinalis) in arid region of India: a review. Journal of Government of India. http://nhb.gov.in/. Accessed 15 March 2020. Agriculture and Ecology 7: 16-26. Shylesha A N, Thakur N S A, Ramchandra. 2000. Incidence of litchi Hanks L M. 1999. Influence of the larval host plant on reproductive trunk borer, Aristobia testudo Voet (Coleoptera: Lamiidae) on strategies of cerambycid beetles. Annual Review of Entomology guava in Meghalaya. Pest Management in Horticultural Ecosystems 44: 483-505. 6(2): 156-157.

(Manuscript Received: July, 2020; Revised: September, 2020; Accepted: September, 2020; Online Published: December, 2020) Online published (Preview) in www.entosocindia.org Ref. No. 20266