Detection and molecular characterization of Copamyntis obliquifasciella (Hampson, 1896) infesting medicinal plant, Cassia fistula L from India

Cassia fistula L. is a valuable medicinal plant utilized in many traditional medical systems, including Ayurveda and Oriental medicine system. Copamyntis obliquifasciella Hampson (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) is a polyphagous insect pest, however the available literature of this pest on C. fistula is limited or rather scarce in India as well as world. Considering the economic importance of this medicinal plant, documentation of insects pests along with the bio-ecology and natural enemy fauna is important for formulating the integrated pest management program. The present study describes the incidence, damage and life cycle of C. obliquifasciella on C. fistula in India. The identity of the pest was confirmed through the examination of morphological characteristics of male and female genitalia, further confirmed through molecular analysis (GenBank no. MK559413). The phylogenetic analysis revealed that the Indian population of C. obliquifasciella shared a close relationship with the populations from Pakistan and China. The initial instar larvae of C. obliquifasciella is feed by nibbling and scraping the chlorophyll content of the leaves, and later they stitch two or three leaves together and fed in between those stitched leaves. The percent pest incidence varied between 20 and 100, and the foliar damage of 5.5–71% was recorded. The total life cycle of C. obliquifasciella was completed in 31.20 ± 2.14 (male) and 34.25 ± 2.36 (female) days. Two hymenopteran parasitoids, such as Phanerotoma sp. (Braconidae: Cheloninae) and Apanteles taragamae Viereck (Braconidae: Microgastrinae) were associated with C. obliquifasciella. To best of our knowledge, this is the first description of C. obliquifasciella and their associated natural enemies from the Indian region.