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This paper reviews the importance of Potato apical leaf curl virus (PALCV) in India, the biology of its major vector Bemisia tabaci and possible control measures of PALCV and B. tabaci. PALCV has appeared as a new problem in potato growing areas of northwestern plains of India. The first report of PALCV was made from Hissar around 2000. PALCV is a whitefly (B. tabaci) transmitted viral disease and the symptoms are manifested primarily in the form of upward or downward curling of leaves, with 40-75% infection being recorded in cultivars grown in the Indo-Gangetic Plains of India. B. tabaci is a polyphagous pest that feeds on numerous fibre (particularly cotton), food, vegetable and ornamental plants. B. tabaci produces many generations in a year and reaches high population densities. To check the disease incidence, whitefly suppression using imidacloprid either as seed treatment or as foliar application early in the season is recommended. To minimize within-field spread of viruses, removal of virus-infected plants is suggested. Application of mineral and vegetable oils has been found to inhibit virus transmission and possibly can help to avoid difficulties with insecticide resistance in whiteflies.

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Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), one of the most destructive pests of tomato, has recently invaded India. Before recommending any bio-control agent for its control, it is important to study the demographic parameters of the bio-agent on the pest. The present study evaluates the demographic parameters of indigenous trichogrammatids namely Trichogramma achaeae Nagaraja and Nagarkatti, T. pretiosum Riley, T. chilonis (Ishii), and T. pieridis Nagaraja and Prashanth against this pest, aiming to select the most effective egg parasitoid species. Significant differences were observed among the demographic parameters of different Trichogramma spp. Parasitization potential of a thelytokous strain of T. pretiosum was the highest, followed by T. achaeae, T. chilonis, and T. pieridis. Population growth parameters net reproductive rate, intrinsic rate of natural increase, finite rate of increase, and weekly multiplication rate were highest, and generation time and doubling period were shortest for T. pretiosum, followed by T. achaeae, T. chilonis, and T. pieridis. The study concluded that T. pretiosum could be considered a potential candidate for biological control of T. absoluta; however, field evaluation is required before final recommendation.

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