Population Dynamics of Sugarcane Woolly Aphid

Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.) is one of the major sugar producing crops grown extensively nearly all tropical and sub-tropical regions. The major insect pests associated with sugarcane are borers and different sucking pests. Among the sucking pests, the sugarcane woolly aphid, Ceratovacuna lanigera Zhnt. is a serious pest of sugarcane and the importance of this pest is increasing gradually day by day. Therefore proper eco-friendly management practices, preferably, conservation and innundative release of biocontrol agents viz., predators as well as parasitoids against sugarcane woolly aphids are necessary in coming days to combat the hazard created by the inorganic pesticides. This book, therefore, provides seasonal incidence of C. lanigra and its relationship with abiotic factors and five species of natural enemies viz., Eupeodes confrater, Crysoperla carnea, Lamnia biplagiata, Dypha aphidivora and Encarsia flavoscutellum, which can play important key role in the bio-suppression of the aphid population. Laboratory rearing and multiplication through mass production programme and early field releases of these natural enemies will help the farmers to manage the aphid population