Vol. 12, Issue 8 (2023)

The Jasmine bud borer Hendecasis duplifascialis Hampson is a key pests on Jasmine causing severe yield losses to farmers. The study was undertaken to explore the morphology, biology and morphometry of jasmine bud borer. The bud borer was collected from the major jasmine growing areas of Tamil Nadu from different locations viz., Tiruchirappalli, Madurai, Thiruvannamalai, Coimbatore, Dindigul, and Dharmapuri districts from March to June 2023 and subjected to the study. The incubation period of egg was found to be 3.7±0.2 days. The colour of the larvae varied from green to pale and green to whitish. There were five larval instars and their mean duration were 3.2±0.20, 2.4±0.17, 1.1±0.17, 2.6±0.32, 2.4±0.55, respectively.

The total larval period was 11.1±1.28 days. The larvae pupates by spinning a cocoon at a junction of leaf blade and petiole. The average period for pupation will be 5.6 ±0.17. The longevity of male and female moths were 3.12±0.22 and 4.14± 0.30 days respectively. The total life cycle was found to be 23.52±1.82, 24.54±2.02 days respectively. It was found that the female moth has higher longevity when compared to male moth. Morphometric analysis of length and width of the larvae, head capsule width, length and width of pupae, length and width of adult at different locations was measured using a Microsoft imaging software (Leica). The analysis also showed a significant difference between populations. The average morphometric length of eggs was recorded as 0.65±0.06 mm, average larval length for I, II. III, IV and V instars were 6.71±1.00 mm, 1.89±0.20mm, 8.55±0.76 mm, 1.99±0.18 mm, 2.18±0.19mm. Average width of larvae for I, II, III, IV and V instars were 1.62±0.19 mm, 1.89±0.20 mm, 1.96±0.18 mm, 1.99±0.18 mm, 2.18±0.19 mm, average head capsule width of I,II,III,IV and V instars were 0.66±0.01 mm, 0.92±0.07 mm, 1.06±0.04 mm, 1.12±0.03 mm, 1.16±0.03 mm respectively.