author(s)
DM Jethva, PS Wadaskar and AV Kachot

abstract
Rugose Spiraling Whitefly (RSW), Aleurodicus rugioperculatus Martin firstly reported from Tamilnadu state in India and recently, this invasive pest has entered in the coconut growing areas in Gujarat state. A survey was conducted for the identification of this invasive pest infesting coconut in Saurashtra region of Gujarat during August, 2019. During the survey, coconut fields were infested by this invasive pest in the villages of Mangrol and Veraval of Saurashtra region. The infestation due to the pest was observed very severe in all the palms present in the field and lower leaves were mostly infested as compared to the middle and upper leaves. The population of RSW was observed on both tall and dwarf palms, but it was severe in dwarf and hybrid coconut palms. Nymphs and adults of RSW were collected from all the infested fields and brought to the Biocontrol Research Laboratory, Department of Entomology, Junagadh Agricultural University, Junagadh for further morphological and molecular identification. The pest is identified as Rugose Spiraling Whitefly (RSW), Aleurodicus rugioperculatus Martin on the basis of spiral pattern of egg laying, morphology and molecular characterization and it is the first confirmed report of occurrence of invasive pest in coconut fields of Gujarat, India.