Trends in Biosciences 8(2), Print : ISSN 0974-8, 511-516, 2015

Psyllid, flatcheri minor Crawford Threatening the Terminalia Seedlings from Nurseries of Konkan Region DHOBE, N. S., NAIK KUMUD V*., HEGADE, P. B. AND GOLVANKAR, G. M. *- Associate professor, Department of Entomology, Dr. Balasaheb Sawant Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth, Dapoli 417512 Dist- Ratnagiri. (M.S.) email: [email protected]

ABSTRACT few decades, the availability and supply of timber The survey of nurseries of forest seedlings was wood and other products is very less compared to conducted at forest nursery and Biodiversity Park of present demand. In order to meet present demand the College of Forestry, Dapoli during January, 2012 of timber wood, the efforts are being made at to December, 2012. It was found that the seedlings of government as well as farmers level to increase Ain, Terminalia tomentosa Wight & Arn. and Arjun, the plantation of forest trees. Similarly the forest Terminalia arjuna Bedd. were severely infested by nurseries are also maintained to produce healthy the Psyllid species Viz, Trioza flatcheri minor and quality planting material. However, the success Crawford. It was found that the incidence on ain of forest tree plantation as well as nursery is seedlings was highest in the twenty-fourth suffered a lot due to several problems. The major meteorological week whereas, on arjun seedlings it problem of forest nurseries and plantation is was highest in the twenty-sixth meteorological week. damage caused by pests. Forty-nine insect The various weather parameters viz., temperature pests belonging to Coleoptera (eight spp.), (maximum and minimum), relative humidity (morning Lepidoptera (fourteen spp.), Orthoptera (nine spp.), and evening) and rainfall were found affecting pest (nineteen spp.) and Isoptera (one spp.) 2 population of pest on ain and arjun seedlings (R = have been recorded by Naik, et al., 1996 on forest 0.509 and 0.637, respectively). nurseries including Terminalia spp.. Regarding pest problem in Maharashtra particularly in Konkan Key words forest seedlings, ain, arjun, Terminalia region, about thirty insect pests have been recorded tomentosa Wight & Arn., Terminalia on different forest trees (Ghorpade and Patil, 1991). arjuna Bedd., Psyllid T. tomentosa and T. arjuna are the important ‘Forest’ constitutes the most important asset forest trees in Maharashtra particularly in Konkan of mankind and plays a vital role in the maintenance region. But the seedlings from nurseries of Konkan of our environment. They provide products, every year shows lot of Psyllid gall formation on services and amenities. Indeed without them life leaves therefore nurseries suffering heavily resulting on our planet would not survive. Important forest in losses of thousands of rupees every year. products includes woods, nuts, fruits, mushrooms, Raman, et al., 1997 also reported that T. fletcheri litter for cattle bedding, pharmaceutical plants, minor, induces leaf galls on at least five species of gums, resins, leaf extractives, greenery, forage and Terminalia in the Indian subcontinent. Singhvi, et many other plant products. Forest gives abundant al., 2009 also found the Psyllid infestation on opportunity for outdoor recreation and also adds Terminalia under Maharashtra conditions. to life’s amenities by softening and beautifying the MATERIALS AND METHODS landscape. Ten seedlings of each species from nursery In India, forest constitutes an area of about were selected randomly and marked permanently 78.29 mha. This is 23.81 per cent of total to record infestation of pests at weekly interval geographical area of the country. At the end of according to meteorological week. In nursery, each 2010-11 area under forest in Maharashtra was about seedling was observed weekly and total number of 61939 sq. km. which is 20.13 per cent of total nymphs and adults present during each observation geographical area of the state. (Anon., 2011) were counted and the average population per The forest provide number of valuable seedling was calculated. products, but due to heavy deforestation during last 512 Trends in Biosciences 8 (2), 2015

Table 1. Intensity of Psyllid on Ain and Metero-logical Mean pest population per seedling Arjun seedlings during January, week T. tomentosa T. arjuna 2012 to December, 2012 41 05 06 42 06 03 Metero-logical Mean pest population per seedling 43 06 01 week T. tomentosa T. arjuna 44 03 - 1 - - 45 - - 2 - - 46 - - 3 - - 47 - - 4 - - 48 - - 5 - - 49 - - 6 - - 50 - - 7 - - 51 - - 8 - - 52 - - 9 - - Range 3.0 to 55.0 2.0 to 14.0 10 - - Average 21.12 6.63 11 - -

12 - - 13 - - The mean pest population during each 14 - - meteorological week on both of the Terminalia species selected for study was correlated with 15 - - major weather parameters to find out relationship 16 - - between incidence of pest and weather parameters. 17 - - 18 - - RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 19 - - Incidence of T. flatcheri minor on Ain 20 - - seedlings: 21 19 - During the study, it was found that both 22 32 - nymphs and adults of T. flatcheri minor caused 23 50 - extensive galls on the leaves which resulted in 24 55 - deformities on the foliage. Curling of the entire 25 41 10 leaflet in severe infestation was also observed. Similar observations were also found by Sangeeta 26 34 14 Singh and S. C. Dhiman, 2004. 27 24 11 28 26 10 The results presented in Table 1 revealed that there was no pest incidence upto the twentieth 29 25 05 meteorological week. The incidence of pest was 30 30 12 noticed in the twenty-first meteorological week (19 31 37 07 nymphs and adults per seedling) which increased 32 18 06 gradually and reached its peak in the twenty-fourth 33 15 07 meteorological week (55 nymphs and adults per 34 16 05 seedling). From the twenty-fifth meteorological week (41 nymphs and adults per seedling) incidence 35 12 06 declined and completely disappeared from the forty- 36 14 06 fifth meteorological week (Fig. 1). 37 13 02 The average pest population during infestation 38 10 05 period ranged from 3.00 to 55.0 nymphs and adults 39 09 06 per seedling with a mean population of 21.12 40 07 04 nymphs and adults per seedling (Table 1). DHOBE, et al., Psyllid, Trioza flatcheri minor Crawford Threatening the Terminalia Seedlings from Nurseries 513

Table 2. Correlation between Psyllid population and weather parameters

Temp. Max. Temp. Min. R.H. Mor. R.H. Evn. Rainfall R2 values Plant species (oC) (oC) (%) (%) (mm) T. tomentosa -0.443* 0.631* 0.346* 0.668* 0.589* 0.509 T. arjuna -0.634* 0.588* 0.542* 0.651* 0.703* 0.637

(*- Significant at 5 %) Table ‘r’ value = 0.273 (N=52)

The present findings are in conformity with population of the pest increases. The maximum the findings of Singhvi et al. (2009) who revealed temperature, minimum temperature, relative that the maximum infestation (20.76 - 24.25%) was humidity (morning and evening) and rainfall were found during June – July, whereas it was the least found affecting the pest population (R2 = 0.509) (0.84 - 1.96%) during October-December under during the observation period (Table 2). Maharashtra conditions. Incidence of T. flatcheri minor on Arjun During observation period, it was found that seedlings: the maximum temperature (-0.443) correlated Due to feeding of the both nymphs and adults negatively and significantly with pest population of T. flatcheri minor, number of extensively which indicated that when maximum temperature developed galls were noticed on the entire leaflet increases, population of the pest decreases. The and also on the tender shoots. The nymphs and the minimum temperature (0.631) correlated positively adults were found to feed internally. and significantly with population of the pest which indicated that when minimum temperature The results presented in Table 1 revealed that decreases, the pest population increases. Morning there was no pest incidence upto the twenty-fourth relative humidity (0.346), evening relative humidity meteorological week. The incidence of pest noticed (0.668) and rainfall (0.589) correlated positively in the twenty-fifth meteorological week (10 nymphs and significantly with the population of pest which and adults per seedling) which was its peak in the indicated that when morning relative humidity, twenty-sixth meteorological week (14 nymphs and evening relative humidity and rainfall increases, adults per seedling). After the twenty-sixth

Fig. 1. Incidence of T. flatcheri on Ain seedling 514 Trends in Biosciences 8 (2), 2015

Fig. 2. Incidence of T. flatcheri on Arjun seedling meteorological week the incidence declined. There population of the pest increases. The maximum was no pest incidence from the forty-fourth temperature, minimum temperature, relative meteorological week (Fig. 2). humidity (morning and evening) and rainfall were 2 In general, the average pest population during found affecting the pest population (R = 0.637) infestation period ranged from 2.00 to 14.00 during the observation period (Table 2). nymphs and adults per seedling with mean LITERATURE CITED population of 6.63 nymphs and adults per seedling (Table 1). More or less similar observations were Anonymous, 2011. India state of forest report, forest survey of India, Department of forestry, India. pp. 8 and 170. made by Singhvi et al. (2009) who found that the maximum infestation (20.76 - 24.25%) was during Ghorpade, B. R. and Patil S. P. 1991. Insect pests recorded on forest trees in the Konkan region of Maharashtra June – July, whereas it was the least (0.84 - 1.96%) state (India). Indian J. of for., 14 (3): 245 – 246. during October-December under Maharashtra conditions. Naik, D. J.; Ashokkumar C. T.; Omkarappa S.; Thippesha D. and Ravikumar M. R. 1996. Insect pests of forest The maximum temperature (-0.634) correlated nurseries. My Forest., 32 (3): 229-236. negatively and showed significant effect on pest Raman, A., Singh R. N. and Maryanskanadachowska A. population which indicated that when maximum 1997. Biology and karyology of a Cecidogenous psylloid, temperature increases, population of the pest Trioza fletcheri minor (Homoptera: ) and decreases. The minimum temperature (0.588) morphogenesis of galls on the leaves of T. tomentosa and T. arjuna (Combretaceae). Ins. Mats. N.S., 53: 117- correlated positively and showed significant effect 134. on population of the pest which indicated that when Sangeeta Singh and Dhiman S. C. 2004. Biology of Trioza minimum temperature decreases, the pest hirsuta Crawford (Homoptera: Psyllidae), a pest of population increases. Morning relative humidity Terminalia tomentosa W & A. Indian For., 130 (6): 680- (0.542), evening relative humidity (0.651) and 690. rainfall (0.703) correlated positively and Singhvi, N. R.; Kushwaha R. V. and Suryanarayana N. 2009. significantly with the population of pest which Population dynamics of gall insect in Terminalia spp indicated that when morning relative humidity, under Maharashtra conditions. Inter. J. of Plant Sci., 4 evening relative humidity and rainfall increases, (1): 38-40.

Received on 31-12-2014 Accepted on 04-01-2015 DHOBE, et al., Psyllid, Trioza flatcheri minor Crawford Threatening the Terminalia Seedlings from Nurseries 515

APPENDIX I Weekly weather data during the period of study at Dapoli Station (January. 2012 to December. 2012)

Tmax. Tmin. RH (Mor.) RH (Evn.) Rainfall Period MW (oC) (oC) (%) (%) (mm) 01.01 - 07.01 1 31.8 14.8 91 58 0.0 08.01 - 14.01 2 30.0 9.6 91 57 0.0 15.01 - 21.01 3 28.8 10.4 93 59 0.0 22.01 - 28.01 4 29.0 12.6 93 58 0.0 29.01 - 04.02 5 31.3 13.1 93 49 0.0 05.02 - 11.02 6 30.7 10.4 86 44 0.0 12.02 - 18.02 7 30.1 10.4 91 54 0.0 19.02 - 25.02 8 35.6 14.2 91 48 0.0 26.02 - 04.03 9 32.6 11.0 91 52 0.0 05.03 - 11.03 10 30.8 11.9 90 54 0.0 12.03 - 18.03 11 34.2 14.1 89 42 0.0 19.03 - 25.03 12 33.6 15.6 92 47 0.0 26.03 - 01.04 13 31.8 19.7 92 64 0.0 02.04 -08.04 14 32.5 20.5 93 67 0.0 09.04 - 15.04 15 32.4 20.4 94 64 0.0 16.04 - 22.04 16 34.1 22.4 91 65 0.0 23.04 - 29.04 17 34.4 20.4 86 75 0.0 30.04 - 06.05 18 31.8 20.5 92 71 0.0 07.05 - 13.05 19 32.7 22.6 85 68 0.0 14.05 - 20.05 20 32.9 22.4 81 78 0.0 21.05 - 27.05 21 32.7 22.7 82 70 0.0 28.05 - 03.06 22 33.0 22.9 83 79 0.0 04.06 - 10.06 23 32.0 23.8 91 85 100.7 11.06 - 17.06 24 29.8 23.7 96 87 116.6 18.06 - 24.06 25 29.4 23.8 95 77 490.2 25.06 - 01.07 26 29.4 23.4 96 80 243.9 02.07 - 08.07 27 28.2 24.0 96 89 355.0 09.07 - 15.07 28 29.2 24.1 96 86 145.8 16.07 - 22.07 29 27.9 23.9 96 92 313.9 23.07 - 29.07 30 28.9 24.1 94 92 140.6 30.07 - 05.08 31 27.9 23.9 95 89 212.6 06.08 - 12.08 32 28.0 24.0 95 93 224.5 13.08 - 19.08 33 28.8 24.4 94 86 57.0 20.08 - 26.08 34 29.1 24.1 95 88 48.2 27.08 - 02.09 35 26.9 23.2 97 93 505.2 03.09 - 09.09 36 27.3 23.8 97 93 274.4 10.09 - 16.09 37 28.1 23.9 93 89 155.0 17.09 - 23.09 38 28.7 22.7 93 89 12.4 24.09 - 30.09 39 30.1 22.0 94 78 5.0 01.10 - 07.10 40 29.7 23.4 91 94 253.0 516 Trends in Biosciences 8 (2), 2015

Tmax. Tmin. RH (Mor.) RH (Evn.) Rainfall Period MW (oC) (oC) (%) (%) (mm) 08.10 - 14.10 41 31.3 22.2 89 69 0.0 15.10 - 21.10 42 33.4 19.5 86 50 0.0 22.10 – 28.10 43 33.0 22.1 87 53 0.0 29.10 – 04.11 44 32.0 19.3 85 54 0.0 05.11 – 11.11 45 32.2 18.1 89 55 0.0 12.11 – 18.11 46 31.9 15.8 95 49 0.0 19.11 – 25.11 47 32.2 15.0 89 40 0.0 26.11 – 02.12 48 31.9 15.6 90 50 0.0 03.12 – 09.12 49 33.7 18.1 89 48 0.0 10.12 – 16.12 50 30.8 14.0 90 49 0.0 17.12 – 23.12 51 32.5 13.9 91 43 0.0 24.12 – 31.12 52 31.7 13.8 92 39 0.0