Host preference by red banded mango caterpillar Deanolis albizonalis (Hampson) Nirala Kumar Gaurav, Goswami Tarak Nath* Department of Entomology, Bihar Agricultural University, Sabour, Bhagalpur, 813210 *Email: tarakento@gmail.com(corresponding author) BAU Communication No. 602/2019
Abstract Red banded mango caterpillar (RBMC) Deanolis(=Autocharis) albizonalis Hampson (Crambidae: Lepidoptera) is a serious threat to mango at Sabour and adjoining areas of Bihar. The field preference by RBMC in 23 cultivars was evaluated in this study. The results revealed that infestation varied from 0–32.1%, with Amrapali and Kalapady being free, and Langara having >30% infestation. Among the biophysical traits, the distance from tip of the stone to distal end of the fruit, and the peel thickness were observed as the most important factors responsible for preference/non preference. Top Keywords Deanolis (=Autocharis) albizonali, mango, Sabour, Bihar, host preference, cultivars, biophysical factors, infestation level, peel thickness. Top |