Studies on certain plant volatiles attracting the shot hole border, euwallacea fornicatus (Eichhoff)(Scolytidae: Coleoptera) infesting tea

Abstract

Tea is one of the popular beverages all over the world due to its special aroma, flavor and health benefits. The crop plant belongs to Camelliaceae and is perennial in nature. All the cultivated tea plants belong to two distinct taxa, viz., Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze the short leaved China plants and Camellia assamica (Masters) Wight, the broad leaved Assam cultivar. The Cambod variety, a subspecies of the latter, is classified as C. assamica spp. lasiocalyx (Planchon ex watt) Wight (Wight, 1959). China , Assam , Cambod jats and a large number of their hybrids are exploited commercially in majority of the tea plantations. It is believed that many wild species of Camellia have also contributed to the present day hybrid population of cultivated tea plants. This crop is predominantly grown in Asia followed by Africa and to a very small extend in Europe, South America and Australia. India is the largest producer and consumer of black tea in the world. More than 520,000 ha is under tea cultivation in India. Majority of the tea plantations are situated in the north eastern and southern region of the country. Tea plantations in south India are spread over the slopes of Western Ghats of Wynaad, Central Travancore, High Ranges, Nilgiris, Anamallais and Chikmagalur of Karnataka.