ABSTRACT
Ginger is infested by various species of insects, among which the shoot borer (Conogethes punctiferalis Guen.) and rhizome scale (Aspidiella hartii Sign.) are major pests in the field and during storage of rhizomes, respectively. Other insects that have been reported to affect ginger belong to diverse families and can be classified into sap feeders, leaf feeders, and rhizome feeders. Dry ginger is also infested by many species of insects, most importantly the cigarette beetle (Lasioderma serricorne (Fab.), the drug store beetle (Stegobium paniceum L.) and the coffee bean weevil (Araecerus fasciculatus DeG.). The information on ginger’s insect pests in India has been reviewed by Jacob (1980), Koya et al. (1991), and Premkumar et al. (1994). Various aspects of distribution, damage, life history, seasonal incidence, host plants, resistance, natural enemies, and management of these insect pests around the world have been consolidated in this chapter. A list of insects recorded on ginger in the world has also been tabulated in Table 10.1.
