Discovery of a new species of parasitoid wasp from India attacking major pest of medicinal plant shatavari
- Indian Entomologist
- 4 minutes ago
- 2 min read
By Santosh C. Kedar and Ranjith A. P.
Scientists from the CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, Lucknow (CSIR-CIMAP), in collaboration with researchers from the Kalinga Foundation, Karnataka, have discovered and described a new species of parasitoid wasp that naturally parasitizes the asparagus beetle (Crioceris nigroornata), the major pest of Shatavari (Asparagus racemosus), an important medicinal plant in India. The discovery, published in the Journal of Hymenoptera Research, reports discovery and description of Lemophagus larvivorus Ranjith & Kedar, 2025, a new species belonging to the family Ichneumonidae of the order Hymenoptera. Remarkably, this marks the first report of the campoplegine genus Lemophagus from India. This parasitoid was reared on larvae of C. nigroornata collected from Shatavari fields in Lucknow, India. The study was carried out by Dr. Santosh C. Kedar, Senior Scientist from CSIR-CIMAP and Dr. Ranjith A. P. from Kalinga Foundation under the leadership of Dr. Prabodh Kumar Trivedi, Director, CSIR-CIMAP.
Nature of damage: The asparagus beetle (C. nigroornata) causes considerable damage to Shatavari by attacking new shoots and tender leaves. Both adults and larvae chew soft plant tissues, resulting in irregular holes and defoliation, leading to drying of shoots, stunted growth, and reduced biomass. Severe infestations significantly affect the crop’s productivity and quality.
Significance of the discovery: The study recorded a natural parasitism rate of 12.5% by L. larvivorus, confirming its role as a natural enemy (biological control agent) of the asparagus beetle. According to the authors, understanding the parasitoid-host relationship adds valuable knowledge about natural enemy diversity and may contribute to future biological control strategies for asparagus pests after further research and evaluation.
This is the first report of the genus Lemophagus from India, highlighting the importance of exploring parasitoid diversity for integrated pest management in medicinal crops.
For further information, please check the following
Ranjith, A. P., & Kedar, S. C. (2025). New species of Lemophagus Townes, 1965 (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae, Campopleginae) from India reared as a larval parasitoid of Crioceris nigroornata Clarke, 1866 (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae). Journal of Hymenoptera Research, 98, 743-755. https://doi.org/10.3897/jhr.98.154760
About the authors:
Santosh C. Kedar, Senior Scientist, Entomology laboratory, Crop Production and Protection Division, CSIR- Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CIMAP), Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India,
A. P. Ranjith, Researcher, Kalinga Foundation, Agumbe, Karnataka, India
Email: ridhuranjith@gmail.com
Disclaimer: The contents, style, language, plagiarism, references, mention of any products if any, etc., are the sole responsibility of the author
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