Classical Biological Control Initiatives for the Impending Invasive Pests of India

Abstract

Invasive insect pests, diseases and weeds caused extensive damage to several crops in India. Recent insect invasives include Heteropsylla cubana Crawford, Liriomyza trifolii (Burgess), Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari), Aleurodicus dispersus Russell, Aceria guerreronis Keifer, Bemisia argentifolii Bellows and Perring, Paracoccus marginatus Williams and Granara de Willink and Leptocybe invasa Fisher and La Salle. Classical biological control through the introduction of parasitoids from the native range of the invasives have shown tremendous control of P. marginatus and L. invasa. An assessment was made on the possibilities of invasion by several insect pests and the weeds. The Madeira mealy bug, Phenacoccus madirensis Green; cassava mealy bug, Phenacoccus manihoti Mat.-Ferr.; coconut leaf beetle, Brontispa longissima Gestro; giant whitefly, Aleurodicus dugesii Cockerell; tomato pinworm, Keiferia lycopersicella (Walshingham); eucalyptus leaf gall, Ophelimus maskelli (Ashmead); Quince borer Coryphodema tristis Drury; sunflower maggot, Strauzia longipennis and light brown apple moth, Epiphyas postvittana are to name a few, who pose threat to Indian agriculture. The classical biological control options available for the management of these pests are discussed in case of the invasions.