A Brief Review on Safflower Aphid, Uroleucon Compositae (theobald) and Its Management

Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) is one of the important oilseed crops in the world. The crop has been traditionally grown for its flowers as a source of dye for colouring food and fabrics. Safflower oil has highest content of linoleic acid (75%). India with an area of 2.71 lakh ha, production of 1.71 lakh tonnes of seed and average productivity of 632 kg/ha is the leading producer of safflower in the world (DOR, 2011). A total of 101 pests are known to attack safflower at different stages of crop growth and development (Singh et al., 1996). Amongst the various pests, the aphid Uroleucon compositae Theobald, badly affects the crop growth and yield. Nymphs as well as adults suck the cell sap from the lower surface of the leaves and tender shoots and impair the vitality of the plants. Besides sucking the sap from the plants, the aphids also excrete honeydew which attracts a black sooty mould that adversely affects the photosynthesis. Seed and oil content losses due to this pest to an extent of 20 to 80 per cent have been reported from different parts of the country (Singh et al., 2000). Control of safflower aphid has been achieved by using different insecticides. Recently, the emphasis is being given on ecological basis of control based on suitable integrated pest management strategies. Seasonal incidence helps in planning need based application of insecticides as it clearly reveals the insect peak activity as well as insect free periods during crop growth. To achieve satisfactory suppression of this destructive pest, manipulating the sowing time, testing and evaluation of newer insecticides are necessary. The available literature related to the present study has been reviewed under the following heads.