Abstract

Pempheres affinis or the cotton stem weevil, as a pest of indigenous and exotic cottons is of considerable importance in South India. It is not definitely known when and how this pest was introduced into this country; in fact it is even difficult to say whether it is one of the introduced forms at all; although the nature of its scattered and somewhat isolated distribution would appear to indicate its exotic origin. When first noticed in South India it was found to be confined to the Coimbatore district and to the Cambodias in particular. Since then, it has spread to almost every cotton-growing centre of the Presidency and to all types of cotton.

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