Author(s):

Meghana, Preeti Kamble, Sadashiv Nadukeri and Revanna Revannavar

Abstract: The insects feeding on medicinal plants were collected from the shade-nethouse of Department of plantation, spices, medicinal and aromatic crops, College of Horticulture, Mudigere during 2017-18. The insect taxonomist has identified insect specimen <em>viz. </em>black aphid <em>Aphis craccivora </em>Koch on chamomile <em>Matricaria chamomilla</em> L., long scale insect<em> Coccus longulus </em>(Douglas) on ashoka <em>Saraca asoca </em>(Roxb.) Wild., scale insect <em>Saissetia coffeae </em>(Walker) on madhunashini <em>Gymnema sylvestre</em> R. Br., <em>Aphis gossypii </em>Glover on mehindi <em>Lawsonia inermis </em>L., scale insect <em>Coccus </em>sp. on soapnut <em>Sapindus trifoliatus </em>L., <em>Saissetia oleae </em>(Oliver) on <em>Adhatoda vasica </em>Nees<em>. </em>The highest infestation was observed on <em>S. asoca </em>plants (96.08%)<em>, M. chamomilla </em>(87.50%) and the infestation was 60 per cent on <em>G. sylvestre </em>plants. The infestation was lesser extent in other medicinal plants <em>viz.</em> <em>Aphis gossypii </em>on <em>L. inermis </em>(28.85%), <em>Coccus </em>sp. on <em>S. trifoliatus </em>(26.92%)<em> </em>and<em> Saissetia oleae </em>on <em>A. vasica</em> was the least (11.67%). The infestation of aphids and scale insects caused symptoms like curling, yellowing, leaf drop, weak plants and severe infestation caused death of medicinal plants. Black ant, <em>Polyrhachis exercita </em>(Walker 1859) was associated with <em>A. craccivora </em>on chamomile <em>M. chamomilla. </em>Small ant,<em> Lophomyrmes quadrispinosus </em>was associated with scale insects on <em>S. asoca, G. sylvestre, S. trifoliatus </em>and <em>A. vasica.</em>

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