Biological and Productivity Linked Parameters of Lac Insect, Kerria lacca (Kerr.) on Flemingia macrophylla and Flemingia semialata in Punjab

The effect of the leguminous host plants, Flemingia macrophylla and Flemingia semialata was studied on the biological and productivity linked parameters of the lac insect, Kerria lacca during Baisakhi and Katki crops. In Baisakhi crop, the mean initial settlement density was 77.20 and 82.20 crawlers/cm² in F. macrophylla and F. semialata, respectively. During Katki crop, the respective density was 76.33 and 79.73 crawlers/cm². The mean initial mortality was 9.38 and 9.62 per cent in F. macrophylla and F. semialata, respectively during Baisakhi crop and in Katki crop, the mean mortality was 10.92 and 8.48 per cent, respectively. The total life period of lac females was 234.33 and 232.00 days in Baisakhi crop on F. macrophylla and F. semialata, respectively and in Katki crop was 106.67 and 108.33 days, respectively. The mean weight of female cells of lac insect was 8.66 and 8.94 mg on F. macrophylla and F. semialata, respectively during Baisakhi crop. Similarly, in Katki crop the mean weight of female cells was 7.48 and 7.65mg, respectively. The mean resin output during Baisakhi crop was 5.95 and 6.10mg per female cell on F. macrophylla and F. semialata, respectively, while the mean weight of resin output was 5.36 and 5.50mg on F. macrophylla and F. semialata, respectively in Katki crop. It is concluded that both F. semialata and F. macrophylla could be promising hosts for lac cultivation under Punjab conditions.