Cotton mealy bug (Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley, Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) in West Bengal—Host range and infestation

The cotton mealybug, Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) has attained the status of a serious pest on a wide host range of host plants and great potential to cause damage. The studies carried out during 2011 and 2012 revealed 65 host plant species in 24 families including 40 weeds, one ornamental, four trees, four vegetables, eight field crops, five flowering plants, one fruit plant and two medicinal plants. Among these, nine plants were highly infested i.e. Justicia gendarussa Burm.; Helianthus annuus subsp. Lenticularis Douglas; Parthenium hysterophorus L.; Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat; Abutilon indicum Sweet; Gossypium hirsutum L.; Hibiscus rosa sinensis L.; Nicotiana tabacum L. and Lantana camara L. Maximum infestation was observed in Asteraceae (21.43%) followed by Solanaceae (16.07%), Malvaceae (12.50%), Euphorbiaceae (12.50%), Amaranthaceae, Acanthaceae, Verbenaceae and Cucurbitaceae. More than 71% were recorded from weeds followed by field crops (14.29%) and flower crops while ornamentals were least preferred.