Host-plant Associations of Moths Across Agro-ecosystem Landscapes of Central Uttar Pradesh, India
Ram Ajeet Chaudhary *
Department of Entomology, Chandra Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture and Technology, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, 208002, India.
Anand Kumar Panday *
Department of Entomology, Chandra Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture and Technology, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, 208002, India.
Mukesh Shrivastava
Department of Plant Pathology, Chandra Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture and Technology, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, 208002, India.
Naushad Khan
Department of Agronomy, Chandra Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture and Technology, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, 208002, India.
Harish Chandra Singh
Department of Agricultural Extension Education, Chandra Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture and Technology, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, 208002, India.
Shweta
Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Chandra Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture and Technology, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, 208002, India.
Mohit Tiwari
Department of Entomology, Chandra Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture and Technology, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, 208002, India.
Rajendra Prasad
Department of Entomology, Chandra Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture and Technology, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, 208002, India.
Suraj Singh
Department of Entomology, Chandra Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture and Technology, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, 208002, India.
Laxmi Pandey
Department of Entomology, Chandra Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture and Technology, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, 208002, India.
Abhiskek Yadav
Department of Entomology, Chandra Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture and Technology, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, 208002, India.
Pradeep Yadav
Department of Entomology, Chandra Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture and Technology, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, 208002, India.
Sibun Kumar Raut
Department of Entomology, Chandra Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture and Technology, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, 208002, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
This study documented moth diversity and host-plant associations across selected agricultural and associated habitats of Central and Northern Uttar Pradesh, India. The present study was conducted to document moth diversity and host-plant associations across selected agricultural and associated habitats of Central and Northern Uttar Pradesh, India. Field observations and collections were carried out at representative localities in Kanpur, Lucknow, and Lakhimpur Kheri, covering agricultural fields, experimental farms, forestry areas, and associated habitats. Adult moths and larvae were recorded through direct field searches, handpicking, and crop inspections, while host plants were identified from observed larval feeding associations and verified using botanical references. A total of 34 moth species associated with 33 unique host-plant species belonging to 16 plant families were documented. Crambidae, Noctuidae, and Erebidae represented prominent components of the recorded fauna. Host utilisation varied considerably among species, ranging from relatively host-restricted associations to broad polyphagy. Helicoverpa armigera exhibited the broadest host range, utilising six crop species belonging to Fabaceae, Poaceae, and Solanaceae. Other economically important species, including Spodoptera litura, Spoladea recurvalis, Leucinodes orbonalis, Cnaphalocrocis medinalis, and Scirpophaga incertulas, showed distinct patterns of host utilisation. The study provides baseline information on moth–host-plant relationships and highlights their ecological and agricultural significance for future biodiversity assessment, pest monitoring, and integrated pest management in Uttar Pradesh.
Keywords: Moth diversity, host-plant associations, agro-ecosystems, lepidoptera, phytophagous insects, polyphagy, crop pests, integrated pest management, agricultural landscapes