Incidence of leaf roller, Statherotis leucaspis and tea tortrix, Homona coffearia(Tortricidae: Lepidoptera) on litchi (Litchi chinensis) flowers in India

The litchi leaf roller, Statherotis leucaspis, was reported to attack litchi foliage and the tea tortrix, Homona coffearia, on the bud and foliage of many fruit and plantation crops except litchi in India. The incidence of S. leucaspis and litchi as a new host plant for H. coffearia flowers was observed in two major litchi-growing states (Bihar and Jharkhand) of India during 2021 and 2022. A description of the species, their population dynamics and correlations with weather parameters is presented. Larvae of S. leucaspis and H. coffearia feed in inflorescences through webbing and feeding inside silken webs and tunnelling into immature fruits. The number of webs per inflorescence ranged from 1.58 to 2.05 at flowering to fruit setting phenophase of litchi during 2021 and 2022, respectively. During 2022, the percentage of panicle damage in experimental farms varied from 1.9 to 34.2% and 2.8 to 37.7% in farmers’ fields of Muzaffarpur, Bihar by S. leucaspis. The correlation analyses showed a significant positive correlation (p<0.05) with rainfall for the incidence of H. coffearia, and with temperature for the incidence of S. leucaspis. The studies suggest an urgent need to develop effective and pollinator-friendly management strategies against these additional flower feeder insect pests in litchi.