Ovipositional preference of gravid Chilo partellus (Swinhoe) females on maize germplasm

Abstract

Ten different maize germplasm (inbreds) of 15 days old were studied for their oviposition preference to maize stalk borer, Chilo partellus (Swinhoe) on the basis of different plant parameters viz., (i) Average plant height, (ii) Average number of eggs per plant, (iii) Average number of egg masses per plant, (iv) Serial number of leaves received eggs (leaf from the bottom to top of the plant), (v) Average percentage of plant received eggs, (vi) Average percentage of leaves received eggs. Maximum egg laying was observed in HKI - 1128 (15.02) and minimum in HKI - 161(2.23). It was observed that third leaf (from bottom to top of the plant) was most preferred for oviposition by gravid females of C. partellus. Ovipositional preference was not found to be influenced by plant height. Similarly, average number of eggs is more or less the same in each egg mass irrespective of the germplasm. The average percentage of plants received eggs and average percentage of leaves received eggs by C. partellus showed significant differences between the resistant and susceptible maize germplasm. The mean egg mass was found maximum in HKI - 1128 (1.03) and minimum in HKI - 161(0.11), implying that the moths ensured greater survival of the freshly hatched larvae to continue the progeny on susceptible germplasm than to get eliminated on resistant ones