Sharma, K.K., Kumari, K., & Kumar, M. 2005 Analysis of factors responsible for low yield of lac in India.. Journal of Applied Zoological Research 16(1): 95-96.

Notes: Though a single lac insect (Kerria lacca) has a potential to multiply by 250 times in one generation, actual seed (broodlac) to yield (lac-produced) ratio is very low. Single cell cultures maintained on Flemingia macrophylla in the laboratory yielded 56-175 times more lac that was reduced to 45-50 times in the field. When the mode of infestation was changed to mass inoculation and the scale of operation was increased, the yield was drastically reduced to 3, 4 and 7 times of the input on Butea monosperma, F. macrophylla and Ziziphus mauritiana, respectively, for rangeeni strain; and 5, 9 and 14 times, respectively, on F. macrophylla, Z. mauritiana and Schleichera oleosa for kusmi strain during rainy/winter season crop under field condition. With up scaling of lac culture operations, quantitative and qualitative loss of broodlac, damage due to pests and management of lac insect population on the host plant became critical factors affecting adversely the lac crop.