INFESTATION OF BOTTLE GOURD AND TOBACCO PLANTS BY NESIDIOCORIS CAESAR (BALLARD) (HETEROPTERA: MIRIDAE)
V.C. CHATTERJEE *
PG-DEPARTMENT OF ZOOLOGY, M.S. COLLEGE, SAHARANPUR - 247001, INDIA.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
N. caesar is a new sporadic pest of bottle gourd and Virginia tobacco, in western Uttar Pradesh. The period of attack has been recorded on summer and spring crops of bottle gourd, i.e. from February to November months while on tobacco from October to February next. The perennial bottle gourd plants lying on the tops of the huts and Batoras in villages are also used as feeding and breeding sites by this bug during the winter months. In bottle gourd plants, it infests young leaves, shoots, flowers and fruits. On the over wintering bottle gourd vines and pest population shifts towards the apices. The apical shoot with young leaves and inflorescence (panicle) of tobacco plants are only attacked. The infestation of the host plants continues throughout the year so long as these exist in the fields.