This document discusses the diversity and conservation of lac insects. It notes that lac insects have many predators and parasites that they must contend with due to their sedentary lifestyle. Loss of even one lac insect species poses a danger to other related species. The future of lac insects depends on forest conservation, as deforestation seriously threatens their biodiversity. Several lac insect species have become endangered due to factors like fluctuating lac prices and dependence on foreign buyers. Pest management targeting economically important host plants can also erode lac insect biodiversity. The document calls for better policy planning through a database on lac production and related topics to support conservation of lac insects.

1. DIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION
OF
LAC INSECTS
Presented by
Arunkumar.P

5. Sedentary habit- sitting prey to predators and
parasites
22- Predators
30- Primary parasites
45- Secondary parasites
Fungal pathogens of lac insects
Sharma et al.,2006

6. Malhotra(1991) reported 2 species of fungi
Conidiocarpur
Polychaeton sp
Sharma et al., 2001

8. Sharma.,2018

9.  Insect fauna- associated with the lac insects are species specific.
 Loss of even one species of lac insect- poses a danger of losing many other
related species.

10. Other associated insects- visiting lac insects host for honey dew represent a rich
biodiversity of this ecosystem.
Sharma et al.,2006

11. Sharma et al.,2006

12. Sharma et al.,2006
Sharma et al.,2006

13.  Future of lac insects- depends of the forests.
 Fast depleting forest cover of the country- serious
threat to the biodiversity of lac insects as well as
their host plants.
 Absence of human intervention- unattended species
of lac insects and their host-plant might be lost.

14. Fluctuating prices of lac.
 Over dependence on foreign buyers
 Orissa, Gujarat, Assam, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh- Many species
of lac insects reported from these places have thus become
endangered.
Sharma et al.,2006

15.  Lac insects infesting economically important plants, viz.
 Direct targets of pest management- leading to erosion of biodiversity of lac
insects and associated fauna.
Mango(Mangifera indica)
 Sandal (Santalum album)
 Litchi (Litchi chinensis)
 Ber (Ziziphus mauritiana)
Kumar et al., 2013

16.  Species belonging to Paratachardina- do not
produce true lac of commercial importance.
 Pests of- sandal (Santalum album) and tea (Thea
chinensis)
 Paratachardina spp- potential biocontrol agents
for managing weeds.
Kondo et al., 2007

17.  Trees- regularly pruned and subjected to
pest management measures.
 Punjab and Haryana- Wild species of
Ber replaced by HYV.
Kumar et al., 2013

18.  Rajasthan and Gujarat- twigs of lac host trees:
 Utilized as cattle fodder during adverse conditions.
 Prevents natural multiplication of lac insect populations.
• Butea monosperma (palas) • Albizia saman (raintree) • Ficus spp
Kumar et al., 2013

19.  Broodlac (akin to seeds in other crops) cannot be stored for more than a
week.
 Multiplication ratio in lac culture- low (1 : 3–7)
 Life cycle of lac insect- long.
Takes 4–8 months to complete one generation.
 No open/organized market is available to lac growers.
 Pests and diseases do cause substantial damage to the culture.
Sharma et al.,2006

20. Sharma et al.,2006

21. Sharma et al.,2006

22. Sharma et al.,2006

23. Develop a database- lac production, processing, product development, export,
employment generation for better policy planning.