S.P.Bindu, A.Pramanik & G.K.Padhi
Shoot and fruit borer, Leucinodes orbonalis Gueneis one of the most destructive pests of Brinjal in India. Laboratory experiments were carried out during 2013-2014 in the Department of Agricultural Entomology, Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Mohanpur (West Bengal) to study the biology and measurement of the different life stages of Leucinodes orbonalis. Studies on the biology of shoot and fruit borer, L.orbonalis revealed that the incubation period was 3.8 ± 0.84 days. The developmental period of 1st instar larva was 2.6 ± 0.55 days and the length and breadth of the body were 2.03±0.36(mm) and 0.26±0.05( mm), respectively.The 2nd instar period varied 2.8 ± 0.71 days, 4.00± 0.30 mm in length and 0.70± 0.13 mm in breadth. The 3rdinstar larva was 3.2 ± 0.84 days,measured 8.03± 0.64 mm in length and 1.48±0.20 mm breadth. The mean of the4thinstar was 3.4 ± 0.89 days, 11.74±0.46mm in length and 2.13±0.39 mm breadth .The mean of 5thinstar larval were 2.8±0.55 days,17.30± 1.15 mm in length and 3.92±0.35 mm breadth. The total larval period were16.2 ± 1.48 days. The pre-oviposition was found 1.81±0.21 days and the oviposition period was 2.55-0.42 days. The mean pupal period was 8.6 ± 0.89 days,measured 12.34±1.67 mm length and 4.40±0.47 mm in breadth. The mean adult male moth longevity was 4.2 ± 0.84,recorded 13.54±2.12 mm in length and 2.98±0.38 mm in breadth with wingspan of 20.55± 1.41 mm.The mean lifespan of female moth of L. orbonalis was observed 5.8 ± 0,measured 14.53±1.23 mm in length, 4.41±1.33 mm in breadth and wingspan of 23.41± 1.45 mm .The duration of total life cycle varied 35.2 ± 1.72 days. The mean fecundity was recorded as 81.2 ± 9.07 eggs/female,thesizeeggs of shoot and fruit borer moth was recorded as 0.80 mm in length and 0.52 mm in breadth The body measurements of L. orbonalis of the life stagesrevealed that the adult female is larger than male, by abdominal characteristics and wider wingspan.