Abstract
The occurrence of Asian grey weevil Myllocerus undatus (Curculionidae: Coleoptera) damaging coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) seedlings is reported for the first time from Kerala, India. A mild to moderate level of infestation damaging 5–10% leaf lamina of un-split leaves with a typical notching-like symptom along the leaf margins is noticed on the majority of the coconut seedlings belonging to different coconut varieties, viz., ‘Chowghat Orange Dwarf’, ‘Chowghat Green Dwarf’, ‘Malayan Green Dwarf’, ‘West Coast Tall’ and Dwarf x Tall hybrids. M. undatus has not been reported as a destructive pest on any of the crops from India and is considered to be a pest of quarantine significance. Adult weevils have a characteristic tri-spined hind femur and elytra strongly angled broader than the prothorax.
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Acknowledgment
The authors thank Dr. V. V. Ramamurthy, Principal Scientist, Division of Entomology, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, for identifying the weevil.
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Josephrajkumar, A., Rajan, P., Mohan, C. et al. First record of Asian grey weevil (Myllocerus undatus) on coconut from Kerala, India. Phytoparasitica 39, 63–65 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12600-010-0137-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12600-010-0137-1