Current Science, Vol 124, No 1 (2023)

Wild Solanum species exhibit feeding antixenosis against ash weevil, Myllocerus subfasciatus Guerin-Meneville (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

B. R. Jayanthi Mala, S. V. Krishnamoorthy, P. Saravan Kumar, T. H. Singh, K. S. Shivashanakara, P. D. Kamala Jayanthi

Abstract


This study was aimed at identifying host plant resistance sources of Solanum species against the dreaded brinjal pest, ash weevil. Myllocerus subfasciatus Guerin-Mene­ville. A total of 84 brinjal genotypes (both cultivated and wild) were screened for feeding preference/non-pre­ference against the ash weevil under field as well as in vitro conditions. All the cultivated and five wild genotypes (bitter brinjal, Solanum gilo Raddi; black nightshade, Solanum indicum L.; African eggplant, Solanum macrocarpon L.; Ethiopian eggplant, Solanum aethiopicum L. and Dutch eggplant, Solanum acculeatissimum Jacq.) were found highly susceptible to the ash weevil. The other wild species, namely tropical soda apple, Solanum viarum Dunal; nipple fruit (= cow’s udder) Solanum mammosum L.; European nightshade, Solanum nigrum L.; cockroach berry, Solanum capsicoides Allioni; Brazilian nightshade, Solanum seaforthianum Andrews; Turkey berry, Solanum torvum Sw. and sticky nightshade, Solanum sisymbriifolium Lam exhibited complete resistance to the ash weevil with leaf feeding damage ranging from zero to <1.00 (when scored on 0.00–10.00 scale). This study helped identify feeding antixenosis (feeding non-preference) as the major component of resistance in these wild genotypes against M. subfasciatus. Response of the ash weevil to these wild/cultivated genotypes and their volatiles has also been discussed in detail