Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry 2020; 9(1): 2023-2027

E-ISSN: 2278-4136
P-ISSN: 2349-8234
www.phytojournal.com Status of Rugose Spiraling Whitefly Aleurodicus
JPP 2020; 9(1): 2023-2027
Received: 19-11-2019 rugioperculatus Martin (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae)
Accepted: 22-12-2019
in West Bengal with notes on host plants, natural
Priyankar Mondal
Department of Agricultural
enemies and management
Entomology, Bidhan Chandra
Krishi Viswavidyalaya,
Mohanpur, West Bengal, India Priyankar Mondal, Moumi Ganguly, Pritha Bandyopadhyay, Krishna
Karmakar, Anamika Kar and Dipak Kumar Ghosh
Moumi Ganguly
Department of Agricultural
Entomology, Bidhan Chandra Abstract
Krishi Viswavidyalaya, After the invasive introduction of Spiraling whitefly (Aleurodicus dispersus Russell) and Silver leaf
Mohanpur, West Bengal, India whitefly (Bemisia argentifolii Bellows) during 1993 and 1999, the Rugose Spiraling Whitefly,
Aleurodicus rugioperculatus Martin appeared as a serious alien threat to Indian agriculture with its
Pritha Bandyopadhyay devastating infestation on coconut and banana in southern India during 2016. Recently in June, 2019 a
Department of Agricultural severe infestation was recorded in coconut plantations of Teaching Farm, BCKV, and Mandouri which
Entomology, Bidhan Chandra appears to be the first report of this invasive insect in Nadia district of West Bengal. Later RSW was also
Krishi Viswavidyalaya, found to be associated with several other commercial crops as Banana, Mango, Guava and ornamental
Mohanpur, West Bengal, India plants such as Majesty Palms, Powder puff and Indian Rubber Bush and Maize among the field crops. A
substantial control was achieved by spraying with Flonicamid 50% WDG and Lancer Gold (Acephate
Krishna Karmakar
50% +Imidacloprid 1.8% SP) @5gm and 2gm/l respectively and root-feeding with Monocrotophos 36SL
Department of Agricultural
Entomology, Bidhan Chandra
@4 ml/plant as immediate remedy measure. Evaluation of Neem based insecticide is under progress. In
Krishi Viswavidyalaya, addition to this, an intensive survey for natural enemies revealed a high population of Neuropteran
Mohanpur, West Bengal, India predators, few parasitoids and some Phytoseiid mites as natural enemies for the pest. The current study
opens further opportunities for investigation on the management of RSW under West Bengal conditions.
Anamika Kar
Department of Agricultural Keywords: Rugose Spiraling Whitefly, status, coconut, host plant, first record
Entomology, Bidhan Chandra
Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Introduction
Mohanpur, West Bengal, India
India being a tropical country with a warm and humid climate and a centre for extensive
Dipak Kumar Ghosh international trade of agricultural commodities has always been vulnerable to threats of exotic
Department of Plantation, pests. Global anthropogenic climate change for the last several decades, increase in annual
Spices, Medicinal and Aromatic temperature, scanty rainfall and widespread human migration worked as key factors for spread
Crops, Bidhan Chandra Krishi and establishment of the invasive species in our country. Rugose spiralling whitefly (RSW),
Viswavidyalaya, Mohanpur,
West Bengal, India
Aleurodicus rugioperculatus Martin is a new invasive and highly polyphagous species in India
which was first described from Belize, Florida during 2004 from Coconut, but believed to be
originated from Central America (Martin, 2004) [2]. It spread very fast over in Mexico,
Guatemala and United States. In the European countries, the species has not been reported yet.
The import of agricultural materials from the new world and the tropical warm and humid
climate of Indian subcontinent certainly contributed to the establishment and spread of this
alien invasive species. subcontinent It is the third reported invasive whitefly in India after
Spiralling whitefly, Aleurodicus disperses Russel and silver leaf whitefly Bemisia argentifolii
Bellows (Gupta et al., 2018) [4]. RSW was first reported from Coimbatore District of Tamil
Nadu on leaves of the coconut palm (Selvaraj et al., 2017) [3] followed by Karnataka, Kerala,
Andhra Pradesh and Assam on different plants including monocots and dicots (Rao et al.,
2018) [5]. Recently in June 2019, a severe infestation was recorded in coconut plantations of
Teaching Farm, BCKV, and Mandouri. In September, 2019 the pest was recorded on Maize
leaves which appears to be the first report of this invasive pest on any field crop from West
Bengal. The objective of the present study was to ascertain the identity of pest and examine the
pest’s status and distribution throughout the study area. As it is a polyphagous pest, so it is
very important to find the host range of the pest. Then for the management purpose, suitable
Corresponding Author: natural enemies and chemical control tactics were also investigated during the study.
Priyankar Mondal
Department of Agricultural Materials and Methods
Entomology, Bidhan Chandra
Krishi Viswavidyalaya,
An extensive survey was carried out in Horticultural teaching farm (Mondouri), Bidhan
Mohanpur, West Bengal, India Chandra Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Mohanpur campus and Kalyani Directorate of
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Research campus from August to November of 2019. The manner and cover them with waxy substances. Among the
specimens were slide-mounted following modifies Wilkey’s five developmental stages in the life cycle of the Rugose
protocol (Hodges and Evans, 2005) and the identification was Spiralling Whitefly, only the 1st instar is a mobile one and
carried out using the keys provided by Martin, 2004 [2]. known as crawler. Immature with progressive instars produce
Identification of the whitefly is mainly based on 4 th larval a profuse quantity of wax filaments which appear as a tuft of
instar (puparium) which is almost distinct for each species. fluffy and long crystal-like glass rods. The 4th instar i.e. the
After detection of the symptoms, coconut plantations (10 puparium is distinctly thick and larger than the commonly
plants) were monitored for a month to observe the nature of occurring species Bemisia tabaci. The puparium is
pest population by calculating the percentage of leaf characterized by dorsal reticulations, apically acute lingula,
infested/plant and percentage of the area infested/leaf. To find rugose (corrugated) operculum with a pair of ventromedial
the host and natural enemies, an elaborative survey was fine setae and hence the name Rugose Spiralling Whitefly.
carried out by the authors for identifying the infested host Different stages of RSW on coconut leaves are depicted in
plants and possible natural enemies occupying the same figure 1 a-d below.
habitat with the pest. For immediate remedy from the pest As mentioned earlier, the Rugose Spiralling Whitefly was
control measures were taken by spraying with Ulala first recorded in India from Tamil Nadu in 2016 and within
(Flonicamid 50%WDG) and Lancer Gold (Acephate next two years, the pest was detected from coastal areas of
50%+Imidacloprid 1.8%SP) @5gm and 2gm/l respectively Karnataka, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh (Karthik et al., 2018)
[1]
and root-feeding with Monocrotophos 36SL@4ml/plant. . It was expected that the pest was spreading along the
Evaluation of HMO and Neem based insecticides is under coastal areas of Indian subcontinent (Figure 2) but till now no
progress. record has been found from Orissa although in July 2018 it
was observed from several districts of Assam (Pathak, 2019)
[7]
Results and Discussion . Therefore, the origin of populations needs to be confirmed
Adult Rugose Spiraling Whiteflies can be easily identified by with molecular identification. The recent cyclone ‘Bulbul’
their large habitus (almost 2.5mm) and irregular brown along the coast of Bay of Bengal may again influence the
markings on white forewings. Adult males have large pincers distribution and soon infestation in neighbouring states and
at the end of the abdomen. Females lay yellowish eggs mostly Bangladesh may also be expected.
the under surface of the leaves in a spiraling or concentric

Fig 1: a) egg laying fashion b) eggs after removing wax flocculation c) adults d) puparia and e) infestation on coconut leaves by Rugose
Spiraling Whitefly

Fig 2: probable pathway of spread of RSW in Indian subcontinent

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A survey through the locality of primary detection and the on the lower half of the canopy and the population reduces
neighbouring areas revealed the pest’s severe to medium from 3rd leaf onwards from the bottom of the canopy (Fig. 3).
infestation on Coconut, Arecanut, Banana, Rubber fig, potted The plants identified as hosts from West Bengal are depicted
palm, Mango, Guava, Bird of Paradise, Deodar and Acacia in Figure 4 and a list of important host plants of RSW so far
leaves (Figure 3). Among these Coconut plants, especially the reported from India is given in table 1.
dwarf varieties are severely infested with the most infestation

Fig 3: Nature and extent of infestation in coconut plant

Fig 4: Some of the host plants of RSW found in West Bengal: a) Coconut b) Arecanut c) Rubber Fig d) Guava e) Banana f) Mango g) Potted
palm h) Acacia i) Maize j) Powder puff k) Kadam

Table 1: List of Host Plants of Rugose Spiraling Whitefly from India

Host Plants Scientific Name Family States

Acacia Acacia auriculiformis Fabaceae West Bengal
Arecanut Areca catechu Arecaceae Assam, West Bengal
Banana Musa sp Musaceae Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, West Bengal, Assam
BER Ziziphus mauritiana Rhamnaceae Assam
Betelvine Piper betle Piperaceae Assam, Karnataka
BHINDI Abelmoschus esculentus Malvaceae Tamil Nadu
Bird of paradise Strelitzia reginae Strelitziaceae Karnataka
Black pepper Piper nigrum Piperaceae Assam
Brown salwood Acacia mangium Fabaceae Andhra Pradesh
Butterfly palm Dypsis lutescens Arecaceae Karnataka
Citrus Citrus sinensis Rutaceae Tamil Nadu, Assam
Coconut Cocos nucifera Arecaceae Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, West Bengal, Assam
Crown of thorns Euphorbia milii Euphorbiaceae Andhra Pradesh
Curry tree Murraya koenigii Rutaceae Kerala
Custard apple Annona squamosa Annonaceae Tamil Nadu
Deodar Cedrus deodara Pinaceae West Bengal
Garden croton Codiaeum variegatum Euphorbiaceae Andhra Pradesh
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Golden trumpet Allamanda cathartica Apocynaceae Andhra Pradesh

Guava Psidium guajava Myrtaceae Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, West Bengal, Assam
China rose Hibiscus sp. Malvaceae Tamil Nadu
Hog plum Spondias mombin Anacardiaceae Kerala
Indian almond Terminalia catappa Combretaceae Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka
Jackfruit Artocarpus heterophyllus Moraceae Kerala, Andhra pradesh
Jatropha Jatropha curcas Euphorbiaceae Tamil Nadu
Kadam Neolamarckia cadamba Rubiaceae West B
Laurel ball tree/punnai Calophyllum inophyllum Calophyllaceae Karnataka
Litchi Litchi chinensis Sapindaceae Assam
Malabar tamarind Garcinia gummi-gutta Clusiaceae Kerala, Andhra Pradesh
Mango Mangifera indica Anacardiaceae Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, West Bengal, Assam
Maize Zea mays Poaceae West Bengal
Nutmeg Myristica fragrans Myristicaceae Kerala
Oleander Nerium oleander Apocynaceae Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka
Papaya Carica papaya Caricaceae Assam
Portia tree Thespesia populnia Malvaceae Andhra Pradesh
Potted palm Chamaedorea elegans Arecaceae West Bengal
Powder puff Calliandra hematocephala Fabaceae West Bengal
Rangoon creeper Combretum indicum Combretaceae Andhra Pradesh
Rubber fig Ficus elastic Moraceae West Bengal, Karnataka
Ruffled fan palm Licuala grandis Arecaceae Karnataka
Sapota Manilkara zapota Sapotaceae Tamil Nadu, Karnataka
Soursop Annona muricata Annonaceae Kerala
Taro Colocasia esculenta Araceae Kerala
Water apple Syzygium samarangense Myrtaceae Karnataka
Wild jackfruit Artocarpus hirsutus Moraceae Andhra Pradesh
Wire weed Polygonum erectum Polygonaceae Andhra Pradesh

The progress of infestation was very rapid on coconut palms. of Natural Enemies was drastically reduced. That is why trials
In the present experiment, we observed from 40% to 100% with Neem-based formulations and Horticultural Mineral Oil
leaf infestation (fully and partially opened leaves excluding are under progress as an eco-friendly approach.
the unopened frond in middle) after a month. Within the same
time period, the per cent area infested per leaf exceeded 60% Conclusion
with a copious amount of sooty mould development on leaves Rugose spiralling whitefly is indeed an alarming threat to the
(Fig. 5). Two Tarsonemus spp. were found to be associated agriculture of West Bengal because of its wide host range and
with the whitefly feeding on fungal spores of the sooty mould high adaptation. Till now the severity of infestation is
developed on the leaves. pronounced on Coconut and banana plants but it may cause
economic loss to other cultivated crops as well within its host
range, if not managed properly. Conventional chemicals
against sucking pest is not efficient to tackle the population
below ETL and conserve its natural enemies. The severity of
infestation is indeed alarming and needs immediate measures
against them using neem-based pesticides, HMO and
exploiting natural enemies in a compatible way.
Regular monitoring is necessary at block and district level to
keep an eye on the distribution and radiation of host species
along with awareness programmes for farmers.

Acknowledgement: We sincerely acknowledge VC, Bidhan

Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya for financial support in the
present experiments and Mr Sanjay Kr. Pradhan from UAS-
Bangalore for providing necessary literatures and technical
Fig 5: Progress of infestation on dwarf varieties of coconut palms help.

During the survey, we observed high population of References

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