China aster, Callistephus chinenesis (L.) Nees
(Asteraceae), is one of the important annual flower crops
in India and ranks next only to chrysanthemum and marigold
in commercial cultivation.  In recent years, China aster has
gained more popularity due to its multifarious uses, including
cut-flower purposes. The flowers fetch a very good price
to the farmers when production coincides with market
demand. It is commercially grown in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu,
Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and West Bengal.  In peri-
urban surroundings of Bangalore (Karnataka) and Pune
(Maharashtra) alone, it is being grown in an area of 500
and 400 ha, respectively (Reddy, 2009).

Several insect pests infest China aster causing
economic damage to the crop. Among  insect pests recorded
on China aster in India, the leaf miner, Liriomyza
compositella Spencer, the termite, Microtermes obesi
(Holmgren), the pterophorid,  Platyptilia molopias Meyrick,
the noctuid,  Ctenoplusia albostriata (Bremer & Grey),
the chrysomelid,  Aulacophora foveicollis (Lucas) and a
phycitid were major pests affecting flower yield and seed
production (Udayagiri, 1985, 1987). Reddy (2009) listed
various management options for control of major pests of
China aster under the Indian conditions.

During the regular surveys we undertake for pests
of ornamental crops at the Indian Institute of Horticultural
Research, Bangalore, incidence of lantana mealybug,
Phenacoccus parvus Morrison (Hemiptera:
Pseudococcidae),  was observed on China aster, infesting

First record of lantana mealybug, Phenacoccus parvus Morrison (Hemiptera:
Pseudococcidae), as a pest on China aster from South India

V. Sridhar, Sunil Joshi1, B. Jhansi Rani and Rajiv Kumar2
Division of Entomology and Nematology

Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bangalore 560 089, India
E-mail: vsridhar@icar.org.in

ABSTRACT

Heavy population of lantana mealybug, Phenacoccus parvus Morrison, was recorded on China aster, Callistephus
chinensis (L.) Nees, in pest proportions at Bangalore, South India, both on the collar region and roots. About 25% of
the plants were infested by the mealybug. Infested plants showed stunted growth and did not bear flowers seen in
healthy plants. Field and mounted characters of P. parvus are presented in the paper.

Key words : China aster, lantana mealybug, Phenacoccus parvus

1National Bureau of Agriculturally Important Insects, Post box No. 2491, H.A. Farm Post, Bellary Road, Bangalore 560 024
2Division of Ornamental Crops, Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Hessaraghatta Lake Post, Bangalore 560 089

mainly the subterranean parts. Phenacoccus parvus is South
American in origin but has extended its range to Africa,
tropical Pacific region, Australia, Southern Asia and China
(Anonymous, 1990). The pest has been recorded on more
than 50 species of plants belonging to 26 families (Ben-
Dov, 2005). Jennifer (1994) listed several host plants of
P. parvus belonging to 19 different families from India, the
Pacific and Caribbean islands, Central and South America,
West Africa, South-East Asia, the Cook and Maldive Islands
and Australia. The principal host plant of P. parvus is
Lantana camara L. (Verbenaceae). The mealybug was
first thought to be a good biocontrol agent for Lantana
camara in Queensland, Australia.   Biology of P. parvus
has been extensively studied on lantana. Adults feed on the
underside of leaves and on green stems.  Eggs are laid on
the underside of fully expanded, mature leaves. Crawlers
cluster along leaf veins.  Development from egg to adult
takes about 26 days.  Adults live for about three months.

In the present study, heavy population of mealybug,
P. parvus, was recorded both at the collar region and on
subterranean plant parts of China aster. The mealybug was
recorded during August-September 2010 on cv. Kamini of
China aster, in the field of Indian Institute of Horticultural
Research, Bangalore (12o58’ N; 77o35’ E and altitude 890
m above MSL). About 25% of the plants were infested by
this mealybug and infested plants were stunted in growth
and did not bear flowers as did the healthy plants of the
same age. When uprooted, all the stunted plants in the field

Short communication

J. Hortl. Sci.
Vol. 7(1):108-109, 2012



109

Lantana mealybug on China aster

were observed to be infested with the mealybug on their
root system, in turn, affecting growth of the plant further
(Fig. 1).  The mealybug was mounted on a slide and its
characters were studied as per McKenzie (1967).

Field characters: Body oval to elongate, dorso-ventrally
flattened; body light yellow, covered with thin, white wax
powder; body without any naked areas. However, horizontal
segmental lines darker than the wax-dusted inter-segmental
area; legs light yellowish-brown; body periphery with small,
wax filaments of uniform size numbering 17-18; ovisac
elongate on lower side of the female; occurring on roots
and collar region of the host.

Mounted mealybug characters: Antenna nine segmented;
Legs well-developed, reaching beyond body margin, with
claw having denticle. Translucent pores on hind tibia seen
only in a few specimens. Circulus small, oval, between 3rd

and 4th abdominal segment. Cerari 18 in numbers, raised
from derm, giving body margin a wavy appearance. Each
cerari with two lanceolate   setae. Some cerari on head
with three setae. Dorsal setae short, lanceolate and often
associated with trilocular pores. Trilocular pores present both
on dorsum and venter; however, multilocular disc pores
present only on venter of abdomen. Very few quinquelocular
pores present between hind and middle legs on venter.
Aggregation of oral tubular ducts between 12th and 13th

cerari (when counted from anal lobe cerari upwards).

Combination of field and mounted characters led to
confirmation of the species as Phenacoccus parvus. This
is the first record of P. parvus  on  roots of China aster in
pest proportions. Williams (2004), while providing synopsis

of the subterranean mealybugs, mentioned this species of
Phenacoccus as infesting roots of its hosts. In India, it has
been recorded from Orissa on Chrysanthemum sp.
(Asteraceae), Capsicum annuum  L. (Solanaceae),
Amaranthus sp. (Amaranthaceae) and Lycopersicon
esculentum Mill. (Solanaceae). Keeping in view the
incidence of P. parvus  in pest proportions and its
subterranean feeding habit on China aster, there is an urgent
need to exercise management options before its occurrence
reaches alarming proportions.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The authors are thankful to Director, IIHR, Bangalore
and Director, NBAII, Bangalore for providing facilities;
Dr. V.V. Ramamurthy, In-charge, Insect Identification
Service, IARI, New Delhi for confirmation of mealybug
species, and Dr. M. Mani, IIHR, Bangalore for his
encouragement for the study.

REFERENCES

Anonymous, 1990.  Phenacoccus parvus Morrison.
Distribution Maps of Pests (Wallingford: CAB
International), 518pp

Ben Dov, Gottlieb, Y. and Sando, T. 2005.  First record of
Phenacoccus parvus  Morrison (Hemiptera:
Coccidea: Pseudococcidae) from the palearctic
region. Phytoparasitica, 33:325-326

Jennifer, M. 1994. The pest status of Phenacoccus parvus
Morrison (Homoptera: Pseudococcidae). Int. J. Pest
Mgnt., 40:337-340

McKenzie, H.L.1967. Mealybugs of California - with
Taxonomy, Biology and Control of North American
Species. University of California Press, Berkeley and
Los  Angeles, California,. 525pp

Reddy, P.P. 2009. Advances in Integrated Pest and Disease
Management in Horticultural Crops Vol 3:
Ornamental, Medicinal, Aromatic & Tuber Crops.
Studium Press (India) Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi, 364pp

Udayagiri, S. 1985. Insect pests of China aster – first record
from India. Ind. J. Entomol., 47:78-82

Udayagiri, S. 1987. First record of Liriomyza compositella
Spencer and L. brassicae (Riley) (Diptera:
Agromyzidae) as pests of ornamental crops in South
India. Entomon,  12:85-88

Williams, D.J. 2004. Mealybugs of Southern Asia. The
Natural History Museum, Kuala Lumpur, Southdene
SDN, BHD, Malaysia 896pp

Fig 1. China aster plants infested with Planacoccus parvus

(MS Received 7 April 2011, Revised 23 November 2011)

J. Hortl. Sci.
Vol. 7(1):108-109, 2012