Pests attacking medicinal and aromatic plants in India: A review
Suchithra Kumari MH and Srinivas MP
Several medicinal and aromatic crops that are used to cure specific ailments since time immemorial are being cultivated in the fields now-a-days to meet the increasing demand for pharmaceutical industries. Like any other plants, medicinal and aromatic plants too are attacked by different species of insect-pests including mites and limits the successful cultivation of the crops. Sometimes the devastating nature of few pests leaves the crop plant completely destroyed. Practically, so far not much attention has been paid on the incidence of the pests attacking the medicinal and aromatic plants in India. The research on pests of medicinal and aromatic plants helps in understanding their role and developing the management strategies. This review summarizes the diversity of pests occurring on medicinal and aromatic plants, and also provides a brief overview of their incidence and injury caused on different medicinal and aromatic plants.