Indian Journal of Entomology

The shoot bug Peregrinus maidis (Ashmead) (Hemiptera: Delphacide) has emerged as a major sucking pest of sorghum. It is important to understand its alternate hosts on which this pest survives during off season. Hence, its development and oviposition was studied over various grass family members along with sorghum (as check) under laboratory conditions. Results showed that, total nymphal duration (recorded in days) on itch grass was 16.54 followed by napier grass (17.45), maize (19.53), bajra (20.88), para grass (22.00), panola grass (24.88). Oviposition studies (recorded in eggs/ female) showed that it was maximum with itch grass (32.00) which was next best to sorghum (42.33) followed by napier grass (28.00), maize (23.00), bajra (16.00), para grass (9.00), panola grass (8.00), nut grass (8,00) and wild bajra (6.00). The importance of elimination of alternate hosts during off-season to overcome the pest survival is thus evident.