Physico-Chemical Characteristics of Brinjal Genotypes Imparting Tolerance to Brinjal Shoot and Fruit Borer(Leucinodes Orbonalis) Under Field Conditions of Kashmir, India

Abstract

The Physico-chemical basis of host plant resistance for shoot and fruit borer of brinjal (L.orbonalis) was investigated during 2011 and 2012, using two brinjal hybrids and ten cultivated varieties reflected different levels of shoot infestation. The different levels of physico-chemical constituents namely total moisture, total ash, lignin and crude fiber were observed to have exhibited a clear correlation with the pest incidence. Genotypes Shalimar Brinjal Hybrid-1 and Shalimar Brinjal Hybrid-2 showed maximum shoot infestation of 9.10 and 8.69 per cent, respectively recorded maximum content of total moisture and minimum content of total ash, lignin and crude fiber, respectively. Varieties, Brinjal -85 were found least attacked by the L.orbonalis and recorded the shoot damage of 2.34 and total moisture, ash, lignin and crude fiber content of 78.72per cent, 12.63per cent, 34.24 mg/lO0g dry wt. and 2.85mg , respectively. Brinjal Highest lignin and crude fiber content were observed in Brinjal-85 and lowest in Shalimar Brinjal Hybrid-1.The Correlation coefficients of shoot infestation were strong and negative with total ash, lignin and crude fiber, whereas a positive and significant correlation was observed with respect to total moisture content.