Dnyaneshwar M. Firake¹ , Damitre Lytan² , G. T. Behere¹

1. Division of Crop Improvement (Entomology) ICAR Research Complex for NEH region, Umiam-793103, Meghalaya, India
2. College of Post Graduate Studies (CAU), 793103, Barapani, Meghalaya, India
Author    Correspondence author
Molecular Entomology, 2012, Vol. 3, No. 4   doi: 10.5376/me.2012.03.0004
Received: 14 Dec., 2012    Accepted: 24 Dec., 2012    Published: 07 Jan., 2013

This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Firake et al., 2012, Bio-diversity and Seasonal Activity of Arthropod Fauna in Brassicaceous Crop Ecosystems of Meghalaya, North East India, Molecular Entomology, Vol.3, No.4 18-22 (doi: 10.5376/me.2012.03.0004)

Biodiversity of arthropod fauna was assessed in brassicaceous ecosystems of Meghalaya during 2010-12. Three species of aphids viz., Liphaphis erysimi, Brevicoryne brassicae and Myzus persicae and large white cabbage butterfly (Pieris brassicae) were found to be a major pests of brassicaceous plants in this region; while pentatomid bugs (Nazara viridula), flea beetle (Phylletreta cruciferae), leaf beetle (Monolepta signata), saw fly (Athalia lugens proxima) and small white cabbage butterfly (Pieris repae) were appeared to be a minor pests. Natural enemies, especially, predators of aphid viz., coccinellid beetles, syrphids flies and spiders were recorded in this ecosystem. Parasitoids include nymphal-adult parasitoid of aphids, Diaeretiella repae, larval parasitoids of cabbage butterfly, Hyposoter ebeninus and Cotesia glomerata. Besides, activities of several pollinators were also observed during flowering stage. Major predators of aphids were Coccinella septumpuncata complex and C. transvarsalis complex. This study also recorded a seasonal activity of above mentioned pests and natural enemies and it would certainly be useful in understanding the biodiversity and role of different tropic levels in this ecosystem.

Arthropod fauna; Biodiversity; Seasonal activity; Brassicaceous crops; Predator; Pollinator