Natural Enemies in Lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) Ecosystem

K Nishmitha; Narendra S Kulkarni; Ankita Gupta

doi:10.48165/jefa.2026.21.2.13

Abstract

The study of Identification of natural enemies in Lucerne ecosystem (Medicago sativa (L.)), were conducted at Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute (IGFRI), Southern Regional Research station (SRRS), Dharwad, during rabi 2020-21. During this study the coccinellid species were recorded in Lucerne crop were Cheilomenes sexmaculata (Fabricius), Cheilomenes transversalis (Fabricius), Harmonia octomaculata (Fabricius), Hippodamia variegate Goeze, Propylea dissecta (Mulsant), Adalia sp., Illeis cincta Fabricius, Chrysoperla sp. and Micromus sp. The parasitoids species recorded on aphids were Aphelinus sp., Encarsia sp., Aphiidinae sp. and Halticoptera sp. and the pollinator species documented on Lucerne crop ecosystem during the study were Sphaerophoria macrogaster Thomson, Phytomia errans Fabricius, Ischiodon scutellaris Fabricius, Megachile lanata Fabricius, Megachile bicolor Fabricius, Eristalinus obliquus Wiedemann, Xylocopa sp., Danaus chrysippus Linnaeus, Papilio demoleus Linnaeus, Apis cerana indica Fabricius, Apis florea Fabricius, and Apis dorsata Fabricius.

KeywordsMedicago sativacoccinellidsladybird beetlesLucernenatural enemies

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