| Species: | Oligonychus indicus | |
| Genera: | Oligonychus | |
| Family: | Tetranychidae | |
| Distribution: | occurs in Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and South India. | |
| Host Crops: | sorghum, sugarcane, jowar, maize, areca palm | |
| Nature of Damage: | Injured sorghum leaf shows red spots, which become larger as mite feeding increases, ultimately making the whole leaf reddish in colour. Such leaves wither and fall prematurely. It often causes serious damage in South India, Haryana and Punjab. In sugarcane, Red streaks and webbing is observed on the undersurface of leaves. Such leaves turn red and gradually dry up. In severe infestation, 10-15 colonies may be found on a single leaf. Sugarcane varieties with soft leaves are more severely attacked. Damage is more during the premonsoon season. | |
| Life Cycle: | A female lays 35-69 eggs in its lifetime with 1-7 eggs/day. Mites are seen on both surfaces of leaves but abundant on lower side. The incubation period lasts for 9-29 days depending upon climatic conditions. The nymphal period is 1½ -19 days for males and 3-24 days for females. Thirty generations are completed in one year. Parthenogenesis is common mode of reproduction. The oviposition period lasts for 10-15 days during April to September and 17-39 days during October to December. In sugarcane, female mites spin webs on the underside of leaves in which 35-69 dirty white, spherical eggs are laid in a life span of 12-33 days. Eggs hatch in 3-4 days. Male nymphs gain to maturity through three stages. Their development is completed in 2-3 weeks. The life cycle is completed in 3-6 weeks. | |