Abstract:
Adaxial feeding by spider mite,
Schizotetranychus baltazari on M
urraya koenigii resulted in grey speckling, discrete peeling of leaf cuticle, greyish-white appearance, withering and defoliation, decreasing the leaf biochemicals
viz., chlorophyll (15.82%), carbohydrate (42.48%), proteins (55.1%), crude fibre (43.71%), flavonoids (26.83%), phenols (75.00%), potassium (7.37%) and sodium (23.18%). But alkaloid (92.44%) and tannin (12.50%) contents found increased.
Oligonychus mangiferus and
Oligonychus thelytokus feeding in
Ichnocarpus frutescens plants caused yellowish-white spots, drying, withering and premature leaf-drop with significant reduction in chlorophyll (55.88%) and flavonoids (64.71%), but alkaloids (220%) found increased. Feeding by
Tetranychus hirsutus on
Gymnema sylvestre produced orange to yellow spots, profuse webbings with numerous mites congregating for dispersal. Chlorophyll (15.89%), carbohydrate (90.90%), proteins (69%) and flavonoids (17.60%) found reduced, but alkaloids (14.30%) increased upon mite feeding. This increase in secondary metabolites attributed to induced response of the plants to feeding by spider mites questioning the utility of such leaves in herbal preparations and therapeutic use.