Distribution and importance of insects and mites associated with jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam)

Resumen

Objective: Due to the recent introduction and cultivation of jackfruit in Mexico, agronomic information regarding its associated pests remains limited. To enhance the agronomic understanding of this crop particularly concerning the insects and mites associated with it this work presents a comprehensive and updated review of phytophagous species across all regions where jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) is cultivated.

The review draws upon technical reports, scientific articles, databases, full texts from ScienceDirect and Scopus, as well as other specialized catalogs. A total of 81 insect species and one mite species have been identified in association with jackfruit cultivation worldwide. Among these, 48.3% cause damage to foliage, 26.3% infest shoots, 14.4% feed on the fruit, and 11.0% affect the branches.

The highest pest prevalence is reported in Asian countries such as India, the Philippines, and Bangladesh, where the primary pest is the shoot and fruit borer Deaphania caesalis, infesting approximately 27% of the fruits in Bangladesh and between 30% to 40% of plants in India. In contrast, in Mexico, the predominant pest is the branch borer Neoptychodes trilineatus, which affects up to 84.7% of jackfruit trees.