First record of the white-spotted leaf beetle, Monolepta signata (Olivier) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) on Ashwagandha, Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal

Abstract

During mid-October 2021 to mid-March 2022, the white-spotted leaf beetle was observed on Ashwagandha in the experimental field at Jabalpur. The adults were found feeding during the entire crop stages viz., vegetative to maturity stage. The pest was identified as Monolepta signata (Olivier) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) by the Zoological Survey of India, Jabalpur. From the literature and to the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of this pest infesting Withania somnifera in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, India and most probably worldwide.