Survey for Lac insect genetic resources in arid western plains of India

Abstract

In the surveys conducted in Arid western plains-agro ecological region comprising 88 districts in 20 agro climatic zones of three states viz.; Rajasthan, Haryana and Gujarat during 2015–17, fourteen different host plants were recorded as frequently prevailing major lac insect host in varying densities with natural population of lac culture. A total 1032 hosts with natural culture of lac insect were recorded in Rajasthan (393), Gujarat (363) and Haryana (276). Ficus religiosa was recorded with maximum natural population of lac insect in three states followed by Zizyphus mauritiana and Ficus bengalensis. The prevalence of the natural population of the lac insect in these states varied from 10.00% on Acacia arabica in Jaisalmer to 73.33% on Ficus religiosa in Udaipur; 6.66% on Zizyphus mauritiana in Kutch to 70.00% on Ficus religiosa in Anand and 23.33% on Albizzia lebbeck in Sonipat to 73.33% on Ficus religiosa in Hisar districts of the three states of arid western zones of the country, respectively. The maximum lac insect culture was recorded from Ficus religiosa (73.33%) in Udaipur district of Rajasthan and Hissar districts of Haryana.