| Volume: 8; Issue: 2; December 2026 |
|---|
| Title : AN UPDATED CATALOGUE OF TRI-TROPHIC ASSOCIATIONS OF INSECT PREDATORS OF APHIDS (HEMIPTERA: APHIDIDAE) INFESTING CHILLI CROPS ACROSS INDIA |
| Authour(s): Rajendra Singh and Smriti Verma |
| Keywords: Aphidophagous predators, Capsicum spp., Coccinellidae, Tri-trophic associations, Aphis, Myzus. |
| Abstract: Aphidophagous predators play an important role in the biological control of aphids infesting chilli (Capsicum spp.), yet information on their diversity and distribution in India remains fragmented. This study enlists published records to document the diversity and tri-trophic associations (TTAs) of aphidophagous predators associated with chilli aphids. A total of 59 predator species belonging to three insect orders and five families were recorded preying on six aphid species infesting three cultivated Capsicum species, forming 149 TTAs across 17 States and Union Territories. Cheilomenes sexmaculata exhibited the broadest trophic niche, whereas Coccinella septempunctata showed the widest geographical distribution. Aphis gossypii and Myzus persicae were the principal prey species, collectively accounting for 68.2% of all TTAs. Among the host plants, Capsicum frutescens supported the highest predator diversity, while Uttar Pradesh recorded the greatest predator richness and TTAs, followed by Assam and Kerala. Most predator species exhibited narrow trophic breadth and restricted geographical distribution, indicating localised records and uneven research efforts. The study provides the first comprehensive synthesis of aphidophagous predator diversity associated with chilli aphids in India, identifies important knowledge gaps, and establishes a baseline for future biodiversity assessments and conservation biological control programmes. |
| DOI: https://doi.org/10.46505/IJBI.2026.8206 |
| How to cite this article: Singh R. and Verma Smriti (2026). An updated catalogue of Tri-trophic associations of Insect predators of Aphids (Hemiptera: Aphididae) infesting Chilli Crops across India. International Journal of Biological Innovations. 8(2): 189-206. https://doi.org/10.46505/IJBI.2026.8206 |
Pages: 189-206 | Viewed: 18 | Downloaded: 18| Download: PDF (2292KB) |
