About Contarinia icardiflores:
- It is a new species of blossom midge.
- Blossom midges of the genus Contarinia are small insects known to be serious pests of ornamental and food crops
- The larvae feed inside flower buds or blossoms, often causing severe yield loss in agricultural and horticultural crops.
- icardiflores has been named in honour of ICAR-DFR, acknowledging the institute’s contributions to floriculture research.
- Although C. icardiflores closely resembles C. maculipennis — the only other midge known to attack jasmine — it is genetically distinct.
- The findings provide essential biological insights and lay the groundwork for developing targeted and eco-friendly pest management strategies for jasmine farmers in the country.
