Distribution and Economic Importance of Aphis (aphis) Craccivora Koch, 1854 (aphidini: Aphidinae: Aphididae: Hemiptera) and Its Food Plants in India

The black bean aphid, Aphis craccivora was described by Koch in 1854 from Germany. Recently, the genus Aphis Linnaeus, 1758 is subdivided into 6 subgenera : Aphis (s.s.), Bursaphis Baker, 1934, Iowana Hottes, 1954, Maculaphis Zhang and Zhang, 2002, Pseudoprotaphis Kadyrbekov, 2001, Toxoptera Koch, 1856 and Zyxaphis Knowlton, 1947 (Favret, 2016). Aphis craccivora is kept under subgenus Aphis. In India, Lefroy and Howlett (1909) reported it for the first time on Vigna unguiculata ssp. cylindrica (L.) Verdc. (=Vigna catjang (Burm.f.) Walp.; = Dolichos biflorus L.). Thereafter, it was recorded from different parts of the country on several food plants (Panda and Raju, 1972; Chhabra et al., 1983, 1986; Ganguli and Raychaudhuri, 1984; Barar and Rataul, 1986; Srikanth and Lakkundi, 1988; Lal et al., 1989; Gaffar et al., 1990). Aphis craccivora is a remarkable species in terms of geographical and host plant range. It is one of the most widespread species of aphids, and displays a large range of host-plants, covering very different families. It is extremely polyphagous infesting over 400 plant species in the world (Blackman and Eastop, 2000) and is a major pest of numerous crops particularly pulse crops (Chhabra et al., 1983).