Author(s):

Jyoti Raina and GS Yadav

Abstract: Shoot and fruit borer, Leucinodes orbonalis Guenee (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) is the most destructive pest of brinjal at both vegetative and reproductive stages, of almost all regions of India causing significant reduction in the yield by 40 to 80 %. Incidence of this insect pest occurs either sporadically or in outbreak every year in the Indian subcontinent. Its infestation is responsible for both the qualitative and quantitative degradation of fruits round the year and attains the most serious stature during monsoon months. The small moth with dirty whitish wings and speckled markings, lays eggs on young leaves/ flowers/ calyx of the fruits. After hatching, the young larvae bore into the petioles/ midribs of leaves/ growing shoots/ flower buds/ fruits and close the bore holes with frass, after entering in them. The larvae feed inside the midribs/ flowers/ ovaries of flowers and in the pulp of fruit. The damaged shoots droop down and the damaged flowers drop away. The entry holes on the fruit are not visible as these are either recovered or covered with frass and the faded depressions of entry holes are seen. The large one or more round exit holes are visible on the fruits. Affected fruits get rotten from inside and such fruits loose their market value.

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