Assessment of host-plant preference of the mealybugs Phenacoccus solenopsis and Paracoccus marginatus under laboratory conditions

Phenacoccus solenopsis and Paracoccus marginatus are two economically important mealybug species that inflict significant damage to a wide range of agricultural and horticultural crops due to their polyphagous nature. P. solenopsis demonstrated a notable preference for malvaceous hosts, with Gudhal and okra recording the highest mealybug counts across 12, 24 and 36 hours under laboratory conditions. Lantana and brinjal were moderately favoured, followed by Parthenium and tomato. Chilli was the least preferred host. P. marginatus preferred papaya the most, followed by tomato and brinjal. Guava and Gudhal were moderately preferred, whereas tulsi and Parthenium recorded the lowest infestation counts.