Sankaran, T. 1973 Biological control of weeds in India. A review of introductions and current investigations of natural enemies.. Miscellaneous Publication (Commonwealth Institute of Biological Control) No. 6: 82-88.
Notes: [Proceedings of the Second International Symposium on Biological Control of Weeds, Paul H. Dunn (Ed.), 4-7 October 1971, Rome, Italy.] The first outstanding success in biological control of weeds in India dates back to the mid-19th century when Dactylopius ceylonicus (=D. indicus) , introduced from Brazil in 1795 for commercial production of cochineal dye, had run wild and spread on Opuntia vulgaris (O. monocantha) in central and north India and completely destroyed this cactus over large areas. Details of this development as well as a dozen others are covered briefly in this paper.