Insect Fauna of Su-babul [<I>Leucaena leucocephala</I> (Lam.) De Wit] from South India

Abstract

Su-babul [Leucaena Leucocephala (Lam.) De Wit], an exotic form South America, is being planted all over india and has assumed an increasing importance under the agro- and social forestry Schemes, for its multipurpose uses, such as nutritions fodder crop, green fertiliser, as a potential species for rapid reforestation, soil conservation, fire and induatrial fuelwood and for pulp and paper industry. By and large, Su-babul does not have any serious insect pest problem, expect for a microlepidopterous momphid moth, the larvae of which damage seriously the inflorescence and effect the seed and pod setting. Nearly 30 species of insects, belonging to 16 families and 5 orders, viz, Cleoptera (15), Hemiptera (3), Homoptera (16), lepidoptera (4) and Orthoptera (2) have been recorded associated with Su-babul in South India. All the species are new records for this plant species. These species belong to two major group of defoliators and sap-suckers. While majority of them are only casual visitors, however, a few of them, because of their known past history, have the potential of becoming key pests of Su-babul with passage of time and this may pose seroius problems to planters in future.