author(s)
PB Meshram and Shalini Bhowate

abstract
Plantation of Gmelina arborea is facing the great problem of major insect pest i.e. sap sucker / lace bug Tingis beesoni (Drake) resulting in top dying of shoots in tropical forest of Madhya Pradesh. The nymphs and adults of bug feed entirely at the base of leaf blade on the under surface and the leaf axils. The leaf becomes spotted and brownish near the base. The affected leaves wither, dry, fall and plant become completely defoliated throughout the season. The shoot dry up, turn black and sooty mould grows all over plants leading to the top dying. Such plant does not give economic returns at the time of harvesting. The results revealed that lace bug; T. beesoni was responsible for causing the top dying of G. arborea. For protection of economically important forest tree species, monocrotophos 0.05% + ridomil 0.2% followed by decis 0.005%+ ridomil 0.2% was proved to be most effective.