Spreading Infestation of Gall Wasp (<I>Leptocybe invasa</I> Gen. & Sp. N.) on Eucalypts in North India

Abstract

Study based on seven Eucalyptus camaldulensis, fifteen E. tereticornis, two urograndis clones, and one seedling population each of E. tereticornis and E.grandisreyealedinterandintra species variation in gall induction and other traits caused by an insect wasp Leptocybe invasa gen. & sp. N. Urograndis clones recorded minimum gall induction whereas, clones belonging to E.tereticornis recorded maximum infestation. Similarly, seedling population of E. grandis was less susceptible to attack in comparison to seedling population of E. tereticornis. Among clones, Urograndis clone BCM-2135 has shown minimum infection (4%) compared to cent per cent infection in a few E. tereticornis clones viz., W-36, W-104 and W-B 10. The other clones of E. tereticornis BCM-10 and W-B 33 showed 84 and80% gall infection respectively. Screening of 24 years old fifteen candidate plus trees of E. tereticornis assembled at R&D Complex of Wimco Seedlings at Rudrapur have also shown varying degree of gall formation. A preliminary survey of gall induction on eucalypts in Punjab, Haryana, Western Utter Pradesh and Plain areas of Uttrakhand indicates spreading infestation of the insect in almost all the locations.