Major Sap Sucking Pests of Mulberry in West Bengal

Mulberry plants are seriously damaged by various types of sap sucking insect pests in West Bengal. Most remarkable sapsuckers are mealy bug, white fly and thrips. Mealy bug sucks nutrient rich plant sap from tender top and injects toxic saliva to it causing serious morpho-physiological abnormality called 'Tukra'. White fly is a major sap sucking minute polyphagous pest which seriously damages the crop by sucking the plant sap from leaves and young shoots and secretes honey dew to welcome other sooty moulds. Thrips, both nymphs and adults, tear the epidermal leaf tissues with their stylets and suck the plant sap causing low nutritive value of leaves.