Detection of Phage (WO) in Indian Lac Insect [ (Kerr.)] and Its Implications.

, a maternally inherited bacterium induces reproductive alterations in its hosts such as feminization of males, male killing and parthenogenesis. It is the most diverse endosymbiont infecting more than 70% of the insects ranging from pests to pollinators. -a hemipteran is a sedentary, oriental insect known to produce lac-the only resin of animal origin. The present study was conducted to screen the presence of and its associated phages in the two infrasubspecific forms (four insect lines) of viz. kusmi and rengeeni differing from each other on the basis of host preference. and its associated phage were found to be prevalent in all the insect lines analyzed. We, hereby, report the presence of WO-phage ( phage) for the first time in . Further, phylogenetic data differentiated the kusmi and rengeeni infrasubspecific forms into two different groups on the basis of WO-phage sequences.