author(s)
Sunita Mukherjee, G Lokesh, AS Aruna, SP Sharma, Alok Sahay

abstract
Food plants of tropical tasar silkworm infested by many pests causing huge foliage loss of about 15% and upto 90% in heavy infestation. Amongst, Trioza fletcheri minor is most important insect pest commonly causing leaf gall on the primary tasar food plants. In the present study, the impact of gall infestation on the vital biochemical composition of the leaf in two primary food plants such as Terminalia arjuna (Arjun) and T. tomentosa (Asan) was analysed and compared. Leaves samples were collected and categorized into gall infested leaf and uninfested (healthy) leaf. Further, biochemical changes were recorded consequent to severity of infestation. Lower level of moisture in the infested leaf was observed on contrary, there was an increase in the protein concentration upto 26% compared to the ungalled leaves. Similarly, higher sugars and phenols were recorded as consequence of gall infestation. Significant increase of proline in the infested leaf can be used as an indicator of stress.