BIOECOLOGY OF DIORYCTRIA ABIETELLA DENIS AND SCHIFF. A PEST OF CONIFERS IN THE NORTH-WESTERN HIMALAYA

Cones and seeds of conifers, such as Pinus roxburghii, P. wallichiana, P. gerardiana, Cedrus deodara, Abies pindrow and Picea smithiana  are seriously damaged by Dioryctria abietella Denis and Schiff. (Lepidoptera : Pyralidae) in the North-Western Himalayan region of India. Bioecological studies...

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Main Author: T.D VERMA
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SEAMEO, BIOTROP 2011-11-01
Series:Biotropia: The Southeast Asian Journal of Tropical Biology
Online Access:https://journal.biotrop.org/index.php/biotropia/article/view/115
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author T.D VERMA
author_facet T.D VERMA
author_sort T.D VERMA
collection DOAJ
description Cones and seeds of conifers, such as Pinus roxburghii, P. wallichiana, P. gerardiana, Cedrus deodara, Abies pindrow and Picea smithiana  are seriously damaged by Dioryctria abietella Denis and Schiff. (Lepidoptera : Pyralidae) in the North-Western Himalayan region of India. Bioecological studies carried out during 1991 - '92 revealed that the females laid whitish, elliptical eggs singly on the depressed surface of the young cones. The average egg size was 1.00 ± 0.11 x 0.60 ±0.08 mm and this stage lasted for 3 - 5 days. The larval stage passed through five instars. All the instars differed in appearance, size and duration and larvae became full-fed in an average of 24.8 ± 1.9 days. The full-fed larva spun a cocoon around itself, sealed it with white  papery membrane  and  pupated  inside  the  cone  or  any  other  outside  protected  place.  The prepupal and pupal periods lasted for 7-8 and 10-14 days, respectively. The pupa was dark brown, 13.8 ± 0.07 mm in length. Total period from egg to adult varied from 46 to 59 days (52.7 ±4.8 days). Adults were dirty brown in appearance and were 13.59±0.115 mm long with an average wing expanse of 29.0 ± 1.00 mm. They lived for 4 to 5 days. Under laboratory conditions, the pest completed two generations per year and  full-fed  larvae  of  3rd  generation  overwintered  during  September  -  October.  Two  larval  parasites belonging  to  order  Hymenoptera  and  Diptera,  and  a  fungal  pathogen  (Fusarium  sp.)  were  found associated with this pest. The detailed biology, nature and extent of damage, along with its distribution have been discussed and methods of control suggested.              Key Words: Insect biology, Insect ecology, Dioryctria abietella, Coniferae, North-Western Himalaya, Forest pests
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spelling doaj.art-0c47d4d944274a3fa667a967fc0198aa2023-08-02T08:16:50ZengSEAMEO, BIOTROPBiotropia: The Southeast Asian Journal of Tropical Biology0215-63341907-770X2011-11-01710.11598/btb.1994.0.7.115BIOECOLOGY OF DIORYCTRIA ABIETELLA DENIS AND SCHIFF. A PEST OF CONIFERS IN THE NORTH-WESTERN HIMALAYAT.D VERMA0Department of Entomology Dr. Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and.Forestry Nauni-Solan-173 230, H.PCones and seeds of conifers, such as Pinus roxburghii, P. wallichiana, P. gerardiana, Cedrus deodara, Abies pindrow and Picea smithiana  are seriously damaged by Dioryctria abietella Denis and Schiff. (Lepidoptera : Pyralidae) in the North-Western Himalayan region of India. Bioecological studies carried out during 1991 - '92 revealed that the females laid whitish, elliptical eggs singly on the depressed surface of the young cones. The average egg size was 1.00 ± 0.11 x 0.60 ±0.08 mm and this stage lasted for 3 - 5 days. The larval stage passed through five instars. All the instars differed in appearance, size and duration and larvae became full-fed in an average of 24.8 ± 1.9 days. The full-fed larva spun a cocoon around itself, sealed it with white  papery membrane  and  pupated  inside  the  cone  or  any  other  outside  protected  place.  The prepupal and pupal periods lasted for 7-8 and 10-14 days, respectively. The pupa was dark brown, 13.8 ± 0.07 mm in length. Total period from egg to adult varied from 46 to 59 days (52.7 ±4.8 days). Adults were dirty brown in appearance and were 13.59±0.115 mm long with an average wing expanse of 29.0 ± 1.00 mm. They lived for 4 to 5 days. Under laboratory conditions, the pest completed two generations per year and  full-fed  larvae  of  3rd  generation  overwintered  during  September  -  October.  Two  larval  parasites belonging  to  order  Hymenoptera  and  Diptera,  and  a  fungal  pathogen  (Fusarium  sp.)  were  found associated with this pest. The detailed biology, nature and extent of damage, along with its distribution have been discussed and methods of control suggested.              Key Words: Insect biology, Insect ecology, Dioryctria abietella, Coniferae, North-Western Himalaya, Forest pests https://journal.biotrop.org/index.php/biotropia/article/view/115
spellingShingle T.D VERMA
BIOECOLOGY OF DIORYCTRIA ABIETELLA DENIS AND SCHIFF. A PEST OF CONIFERS IN THE NORTH-WESTERN HIMALAYA
Biotropia: The Southeast Asian Journal of Tropical Biology
title BIOECOLOGY OF DIORYCTRIA ABIETELLA DENIS AND SCHIFF. A PEST OF CONIFERS IN THE NORTH-WESTERN HIMALAYA
title_full BIOECOLOGY OF DIORYCTRIA ABIETELLA DENIS AND SCHIFF. A PEST OF CONIFERS IN THE NORTH-WESTERN HIMALAYA
title_fullStr BIOECOLOGY OF DIORYCTRIA ABIETELLA DENIS AND SCHIFF. A PEST OF CONIFERS IN THE NORTH-WESTERN HIMALAYA
title_full_unstemmed BIOECOLOGY OF DIORYCTRIA ABIETELLA DENIS AND SCHIFF. A PEST OF CONIFERS IN THE NORTH-WESTERN HIMALAYA
title_short BIOECOLOGY OF DIORYCTRIA ABIETELLA DENIS AND SCHIFF. A PEST OF CONIFERS IN THE NORTH-WESTERN HIMALAYA
title_sort bioecology of dioryctria abietella denis and schiff a pest of conifers in the north western himalaya
url https://journal.biotrop.org/index.php/biotropia/article/view/115
work_keys_str_mv AT tdverma bioecologyofdioryctriaabietelladenisandschiffapestofconifersinthenorthwesternhimalaya