Dalbergia sissoo Roxb. (Fabaceae) is one of the most important commercially valuable timber species. It is best known for its highly valued timber that has wide use as construction timber, boats, cart wheels, veneer plywood, bent wood, high quality furniture, cabinets, flooring and turnery works. In addition to its outstanding timber quality and high commercial value, the tree commonly provides high quality fuelwood and charcoal, fodder, green manure, honey, nitrogen fixation and other traditional medicines.

D. sissoo is a large deciduous fast growing tree which can grow up to 30 meter height and 90 centimeter diameter at breast height at maturity. This tree species commonly occurs from sea level up to 1000 meter and prefers riverine environment. It grows well on rich alluvial soil, pure sand or gravel conditions with plentiful moisture and good drainage.

D. sissoo has gained extensive preferences as the fast growing, commercially important plantation species in Nepal since 1970s. It was most planted species in between 1970s-1990s in the lowland areas of the country. However, due to massive loss of plantations (up to 30-50%) caused by D. sissoo dieback farmers have stopped establishment of further plantations.

D. sissoo has a rich complex of insect fauna of about 125 species; however, only 10 species are known to have attained economic status as potential pests of nursery and plantations. Insects and pests belonging to 9 families of Lepidoptera, 10 of Coleoptera, 5 of Hemiptera, one of Orthoptera, and one of Diptera have been assessed in stand of D. sissoo. Among them Plecoptera reflexa Guenee (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and Apoderus sissoo Marshal (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) are most common and destructive.

The severe infestation of dieback disease in Nepal was first noticed in 1995. Since then, several diseases causing dieback have widely spread in the country. After the infestation, the tree starts to die in acropetal succession. The leaves first turn yellow, and then start to fall (shed) from the tip rendering the branches bare. The affected tree dies within few months causing heavy economic losses. Several diseases such as root disease, foliage diseases, stem and branch canker, pod fungi have been found on plantation.

The dieback of D. sissoo is widespread in plantations however; most importantly natural forests have been less affected. The reasons of massive infestation in plantations might be due to inappropriate site conditions, inappropriate management practices, monoculture and insufficient management practices.

The paper intends to enumerate the insects, pests and diseases of D. sissoo. This will be advantageous for identifying the ecosystem of D. sissoo's pests and diseases hence we could apply appropriate control measures. Also, it will be helpful for analysing the causes and solution mechanisms for pests and diseases of D. sissoo with special emphasis on the Nepalese cases.

The research is primarily based on the literature available in library and internet. However, also on the ten years long practical experiences of the author working in the problematic areas contribute to analysis and interpretation.

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