Red-banded mango caterpillar, Deanolis albizonalis (Hampson), is a monophagous pest of mango, Mangifera indica (Anacardiaceae) in many regions of Southeast Asia. Larvae bore on apex or narrow tip of the fruit as early as pea stage of the fruit. Pest survey in 87 mango orchards located in 37 districts of 7 states of eastern India indicated that the pest is restricted in the east coast, mostly in West Bengal, Orissa, Bihar and Andhra Pradesh and in some parts of Bihar. As much on 93 mango varieties and elite collections were found to be damaged by the pests including commercial varieties like Banganpalli, Totapuri, Himsagar, Langra, Chousa, Amrapali, Mallika, Dashehari, Alphonso and Kesar. Higher damage level (up to 42 per cent) and its spread over the area and years indicated the seriousness of this emerging pest in eastern India, however, it is absent in the major mango belts of south, north and west India. Out of total mango fruit drop at stone maturity stage, nearly 97 per cent fruit fall was found to be mediated by borer damage. Feeding site preference studies of borer indicated that in 96 per cent cases the pest made hole on sinus region of fruit.
Red Banded Mango Caterpillar, Pheromone, Quarantine pest, Monophagus
