Pest scenario and their abundance in grape ecosystem

Abstract

Agricultural production is not natural and viticulture is no exception. These production systems are constantly challenged by biotic and abiotic stresses and insect pests are key contenders. Grape being a perennial fruit crop is a host for more than hundred insect pests. In an attempt made to study the pest scenario during 2015-16 and 16-17 in grape orchards of Vijayapura district of Karnataka state, total of 24 species of insect pests from seven orders and two species of mite pests were recovered. Six species of order Coleoptera, six species of order Lepidoptera, four species of order Hemiptera, three species of order Hymenoptera, three species of order Thysanoptera, one species from order Isoptera and one species from order Diptera and two species from Acari were recorded. Among them eight species were abundant during both the years of study. Out of twenty six species of pests recorded, eight species were found to be major pests, three species were found to be minor and fifteen species were found as negligible pests.