Screening For Potential Biocontrol Agents Of 𝑍𝑖𝑧𝑖𝑝ℎ𝑢𝑠 𝑚𝑎𝑢𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑛𝑎 Lam.: A Review On The Pest Scenario & Various Pathogen Borne Diseases

Classical biological control is an economical and long-term solution to the problem of invasive weeds which generally involves introducing and releasing of exotic insects, mites or fungal pathogens to achieve sustainable control over reproduction rate and vegetative growth of such plants. The present work aimed to study insects and fungal or other pathogens associated with Indian jujube, Ziziphus mauritiana Lam., a commercial fruit crop of Indian sub-continent which has become an invasive weed in different continents. This review also nurtures the prospect of using suitable phytophagous insects and fungal pathogenic agents causing diseases in Indian jujube as potential biocontrol agent of the weed. Ten types of insects e.g. - fruit flies, fruit borers, seed weevil, hairy and bark eating caterpillars etc. are discussed here in aspects of life cycle, host specificity, damage exerted on the weed etc. Symptoms of five fungal diseases and one algal disease e.g. - Powdery mildew, Sooty mold or Black mildew, Leaf spots, Anthracnose, Fruit rots, Leaf rust, Red rust (algal) etc. and the nature of their causal agents are also reviewed in this work. Fruit fly, Carpomyia vesuviana Costa and the seed weevil, Aubeus himalayanus have been identified as most destructive pests of Ziziphus mauritiana Lam. due to the damage it causes to the weed and monophagous nature. In respect to fungal or other pathogenic agents, Leaf rust causing fungi Phakopsora ziziphi-vulgaris Diet demands further study as a prospective bio control agent of Ziziphus mauritiana Lam. due to its very high host specificity. Globally, alien plant issues are becoming more prevalent and biocontrol methods are becoming the only safe, practical, and environmentally sound option.

کلیدواژه ها:

Biocontrol agents ، Fungal pathogens ، Indian jujube ، Phytophagous insects ، Ziziphus mauritiana Lam