Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2019) 8(9): 2964-2969 2964 Original Research Article https://doi.org/10.20546/ijcmas.2019.809.340 Occurrence of Dipteran Shoot Flies, on Bamboo in West Bengal, India Rakesh Pashi, N. U Visakh and Shantanu Jha* Department of Agril. Entomology, Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, West Bengal, India *Corresponding author ABSTRACT Introduction Bamboo (Gramineae: Bamboosoideae) which is commonly known as “poor man's timber” is the fastest growing perennial evergreen arborescent woody plant (Loushambam et al., 2017; Yeasmin et al., 2015). As per the FAO report on world forest resources, India is considered as second richest country of the world after China in terms of bamboos genetic resources (Lobovikov et al., 2007; Bystriakova et al., 2003). About 115 species in 20 genera have been found to grow naturally or in cultivated condition from India (Naithani, 2008). Arundinaria, Bambusa, Ochlandra, Sarocalamus, Pseudostachyum, Stapletonia Chimonobambusa, Dendrocala- mus, Gigantochloa, Ampelocalamus, Melocanna etc are the major bamboo genera commonly grown in India (Tripathi et al., 2015; Sharma et al., 2015; Ahmed, 1996). Abundant of more than 50 percent bamboo International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences ISSN: 2319-7706 Volume 8 Number 09 (2019) Journal homepage: http://www.ijcmas.com A survey had been conducted in districts of South 24 parganas, Nadia, Barddhaman and Jalpaiguri of West Bengal, India on shoot fly infestation of bamboo. Acroceratitis parastriata David & Hancock, Rioxoptilona dunlopi (Wulp) (Diptera: Tephritidae) and Neosilba sp. (Diptera: Lonchaeidae) a saprophytic species could be recorded on young shoots of bamboo. Amongst the infesting species, Acroceratitis parastriata David & Hancock had been found to be predominant. Infestation of the pests caused severe damage of newly emerged shoots of the crop, resulting in oozing, stunted growth with hollow internode and drying up of the entire shoots. The activity of the flies could be recorded during day. Maximum pest attack took place when bamboo shoots were of 15-20 cm height. The extent of damage ranged from 35.27 - 55.42 %. All the species could be recorded form the infested samples of Bambusa tulda collected from districts of South 24 pgs, Bardhaman and Nadia; only Acroceratitis parastriata was recorded from infested samples of Bambusa balcooa (Roxb) collected from district of Jalpaiguri. This is the first report of dipteran shoot fly infestation on bamboo from West Bengal. Keywords Bambusa tulda, Acroceratitis parastriata, Rioxoptilona dunlopi, Neosilba sp. and Bambusa balcooa (Roxb) Accepted: 25 August 2019 Available Online: 10 September 2019 Article Info