Common polyphagous crop pests are:

A. Desert locust, Schistocerca gregaria (Forskal)

B. Brinjal shoot and fruit borer, Henicosid (Leucinodes) orbonalis Guinee

C. Cotton bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner)

D. Potato tuber moth, Phthorimaea operculella (Zeller)

E. Red hairy caterpillar, Amsacta moorei (Butler)

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

Correct option is B

Correct Answer: (b) A, C and E

• Polyphagous pests are insects that feed on many different host plants belonging to different plant families.
• Desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria) is highly polyphagous and feeds on a wide range of crops such as cereals, pulses, vegetables, and fruit plants.
• Cotton bollworm (Helicoverpa armigera) is one of the most important polyphagous pests attacking more than 180 plant species including cotton, tomato, chickpea, pigeon pea, maize, and sunflower.
• Red hairy caterpillar (Amsacta moorei) is also polyphagous and damages many crops such as groundnut, pulses, oilseeds, millets, and vegetables.
• Therefore the correct combination of polyphagous pests is A, C, and E.

Information Booster:

• Polyphagous insects feed on plants from several botanical families.
• Oligophagous insects feed on a few related plant species.
• Monophagous insects feed on only one host plant species.
• Helicoverpa armigera is considered one of the most destructive agricultural pests worldwide.
• Desert locust outbreaks can cause severe crop losses due to swarming behavior and wide host range.
• Red hairy caterpillar outbreaks are common in rainfed regions, especially in groundnut fields.

Explanation of Incorrect Options:

Option (a): B, C and D

• Brinjal shoot and fruit borer (Leucinodes orbonalis) is a monophagous pest mainly attacking brinjal.
• Cotton bollworm (Helicoverpa armigera) is polyphagous.
• Potato tuber moth (Phthorimaea operculella) mainly attacks potato and a few solanaceous plants, making it oligophagous.
• Therefore this option is incorrect.

Option (c): C, D and E

• Cotton bollworm (Helicoverpa armigera) and red hairy caterpillar (Amsacta moorei) are polyphagous.
• Potato tuber moth (Phthorimaea operculella) is oligophagous, mainly feeding on solanaceous crops.
• Hence the combination is incorrect.

Option (d): A, B and D

• Desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria) is polyphagous.
• Brinjal shoot and fruit borer (Leucinodes orbonalis) is monophagous and restricted mainly to brinjal.
• Potato tuber moth (Phthorimaea operculella) is oligophagous.
• Therefore this option is incorrect.