Status of Insect Pests of Poplar in India with Special Reference to Clostera spp. Mukhtar Ahmad and Mohammad Faisal Forest Entomology Division, Forest Research Institute, Dehradun – 248 006 Introduction ost of the exotic poplars, especially Populus deltoides have been suffering multiple insect injuries since their introduction in India. MInfestation by different insect species to poplar has been reported from time to time by many workers, including Pruthi and Batra (1960); Chatterjee and Thapa (1964); Seth (1969); Lohani (1976); Chatterjee and Chaturvedi (1981); Singh et al. (1983); Singh and Prasad (1985); Singh and Singh (1986); Sohi (1989), etc. Such reports provide specific information of insect incidences. Large scale defoliation of P. deltoides trial plantations (Clones G-3 and G-48, IC-100, 3-4 yrs of age) by Clostera cupreta (Butler) and C. fulgurita (Walker) was reported from time to time from the Central Tarai region of Uttar Pradesh (Seth, 1969; Lohani, 1976; Chaturvedi, 1981; Singh et al., 1983) . By 1980s, the defoliation outbreak spread over an area of 1,100 ha and became alarming. It had to be supressed by aerial spraying of carbaryl (Sevin) insecticide (Singh et al., 1983; Singh, 1998). This defoliator has now spread through out the region of P. deltoides growing. Large scale defoliation by Clostera spp. is known to significantly decrease the growth increment of poplar trees (Gao et al., 1985). Severe and repeated defoliation in young plants results in mortality (Singh and Singh, 1986). Severe attack by Apriona cinerea Chevrolat (poplar stem borer) was reported in 2-3 yrs old P. deltoides plantations, from Paonta Valley in Himachal Pradesh (Verma and Khurana, 1985); Jammu region (Sharma and Bhatia, 1996) and also from other parts of Uttar Pradesh and Haryana (Singh et al., 1987). Attack by this borer into the tree bole renders its timber unsuitable for any commercial use, As many as 133 insect as the entry of fungus and pathogens in the bored galleries also causes species so far have been discolouration of its wood. It becomes weak, offering little resistance to wind and gets broken by a modest gust. Repeated attacks result in forking of the bole or recorded by different mortality of tree (Singh and Prasad, 1985). workers at various In view of involvement of large number of insect species in different incidences on poplar trees, there was a need to have complete information of locations infesting various insect species involved in causing multiple injuries to poplars. Few attempts different poplar were made in the past to glean information on poplar insects. Mathur and Singh (1960) were the first to list 42 insect species mostly indigenous to India and adjacent species in India countries that caused damage to poplar and its timber in India. Later, Singh and Forestry Bulletin, 12(1), 2012 105 Singh (1975) listed 17 species as important pests of poplars. Coleoptera Sen-Sarma and Gupta (1979) have reported 33 poplar pests Coleoptera forms a potential group of poplar pests as 36 and highlighted the importance of Apriona cinerea Chevrolat, insect species belonging to 8 families including Anthribidae, C. cupreta and C. fulguritia in causing major problems. Rishi Buprestidae, Cerambycidae Chrysomelidae, Curculionidae, (1979) identified 32 insect pests from Kashmir Valley pointing Lyctidae, Platypodidae and Scarabaeidae, etc. are reported out that Lymantria obfuscate (Indian gypsy moth) and to cause multiple injuries to different poplar species. Most of Aeolesthes sarta (Quetta borer – a xylophagous insect) as the species are borers but some are defoliators and also serious pests of hill poplars. Verma et al. (1983) reported 55 nursery pests. insects feeding on poplars in Himachal Pradesh along with information on their nature, extent of damage and control Anthribidae measures. Verma et al. (1983) considered 16 species as major Family Anthribidae is represented by Tropiderinus muneeri or minor pests in various parts of India based on earlier reports (Bedel) whose larvae bore into the dead wood of Rawat, 1979; Rishi, 1979; Sen-Sarma and Gupta,1979; Singh P. euphratica (Beeson, 1941) causing infestation of and Singh,1986, identified 16 insects as important poplar pests moderate intensity. from economic point of view in nurseries, plantation and Buprestidae natural stands. There are five buprestid borers recorded infesting poplar From Punjab, Sohi and Mann (1986) reported a especially P. euphratica. Among these Capnodis species of leaf hopper, Kusala salicis (Cicadelidae) as a new kashmirensis Fairmaire and Chrysobothris femorata Oliv. pest of poplars. Sohi et al. (1987) had also identified poplar are capable of causing considerable injury. Larvae mostly hairy caterpillar, Clostera restitura as a major defoliator of attack poplar which are damaged by wind, sun scaled or poplar in Punjab. Later, Sohi (1989) had listed 26 insects by breakage of branches. Larvae cause maximum infestation feeding on poplars from northwestern India. Singh (1991) between the bark and wood, cutting off the flow of sap had reported a polyphagous defoliator, Orgyia postica as which results in girdling of the tree (Rishi, 1981). Capnodis new species defoliating P. deltoides in Uttarakhand. Recently, miliaris klug was first recorded by Mathur and Singh (1960) Ahmad and Faisal (2004) have reported caterpilars of on P. euphratica. It has also been observed infesting Eupterote undata (Blanchard) causing defoliation to P. alba and P. nigra (Browne, 1968). It is a large black beetle 30 P. deltoides in nursery and plantation in parts of Uttarakhand. to 40 mm long with a covering of white, powdery deposit. Most of such reports are based on limited information Mathur and Singh (1960) reported infestation on dead wood involving incidences of attack on poplar of particular location of poplar by the larvae of unidentified species of Chrysobothris or region or state. In the present report a systematic account sp. Another buprestid beetle Melanophila picta indica infests of infestation of all insect species on different poplar species dead wood of P. euphratica especially in the month of June reported so far in India is presented. (Beeson, 1941). Insect Pest Spectrum on Poplar Cerambycidae Eleven insect species belonging to family Cerambycidae have As many as 133 insect species so far have been recorded so far been found infesting on different species of poplar. by different workers at various locations infesting different While two species are defoliators, remaining nine cause poplar species in India. Although indigenous poplars are infestation into growing shoots. relatively safe from insect attack, exotic species have become Aeolesthes sarta Solsky: It is popularly known as ‘Quetta soft target for insect infestation. These insects are borer’ is a serious pest. Larvae feed on bark and sapwood represented by 42 families belonging to nine orders and bore in to the stem and branches and make deep tunnels (Table 1). It includes all categories of pests including stem leaving packed dust. Its attack was first recorded by Mathur and shoot borers, defoliators, sap suckers, pests of felled and Singh (1960) on P. alba, P. euphratica and P. nigra. trees and converted timber and termites, etc. Various insect Attack by this borer recurs for several years in successions, species infesting poplars are systematically arranged order often killing the host by girdling (Browne, 1968). Heavily wise to which they belong with the record of infestation on infested trees dry up in 3-4 yrs. Grub is difficult to control. different poplar species. Information is updated with recent Poisoning of tunnel gives protection only upto 40 per cent findings so as to make a ready reckoner for the use of as the tunnel are kept packed with wood dust. Trees weakened researchers and field workers. either by defoliators’ attack or by repeated lopping of 106 ENVIS Table 1. Insect pests of poplar infesting different parts of the tree Order Family Species Status Coleoptera Anthribidae 1. Tropiderinus muneeri Borer of Dead wood Buprestidae 2. Capnodis kashmirensis Wood borer 3. Chrysobothris femorata Wood borer 4. Chrysobothris sp. Dead wood borer 5. Capnodis miliaris Wood borer 6. Melanophila picta indica Dead wood borer Cerambycidae 7. Aeolesthes sarta Bark and Sap wood borer 8. Apriona cineria Stem and root borer 9. Batocera rubus Stem borer 10. B. rufomaculata Wood borer 11. Glenea maculata Defoliator 12. G. spilota Defoliator 13. Purpuricenus indus Dead wood borer 14. P. wachanrui Wood borer 15. Saperda calcerata Wood borer 16. Stromatium barbatum Wood borer 17. Macrotoma crenata Stem borer Chrysomelidae 18. Crysomela populi Defoliator 19. Plagiodera versicolora Defoliator 20. Phyllodecta abdominalis Defoliator 21. Nodostoma watehousei Defoliator Curculionidae 22. Myllocerus cardoni Defoliator 23. M. Pastulatus Defoliator 24. M. discolor Defoliator 25. M. discolor uniformis Defoliator Lyctiidae 26. Lyctus africanus Sap wood borer Platypodidae 27. Crossatarsus wilmot Sap wood borer Scarabaeidae 28. Cotinus nitida Defoliator 29. Hilyotugus holosericeus Defoliator 30. Melolontha melolontha Defoliator 31. Oryctus nasicornis Defoliator 32. Protaetia impavida Defoliator 33. Oxycetonia versicolor Defoliator 34. Granida albosparsa Defoliator 35. Holotrichia longispennis Defoliator 36. Melolontha furicauda Defoliator Diptera Agromizidae 37. Phtomyza sp. Leap minor Heteroptera Scutelleriadae 38. Chrysocoris purpurpeus Sap sucker Pentatomidae 39. Agnoscelis nubila Sap sucker Cicadellidae 40. Kusala salicis