Sugarcane Research Station, Sirugamani - 639 115, India.
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About 40 species of scale insects belonging to four different families, Aclerdidae, Asterolecaniidae, Coccidae and Diaspididae have been recorded in sugarcane. Two species viz., Aulacaspis tegalensis Zeh. and Melanaspis glomerata G. are of economic importance in Mauritius and India, respectively. Among the forty spp. ten species of coccids infest sugarcane leaves while the remaining species chiefly colonise the stem. The different species of sugarcane coccids, their occurrence, distribution worldwide alongwith alternate host, and the black sugarcane insect Melanaspis glomerata attaining major pest status since 1951, its occurrence and distribution are reviewed.
