Allelopathic interactions of certain Musa cultivars against Odoiporus longicollis (Olivier)

Abstract

Odoiporus longicollis is a major pest of the banana (Musa) cultivars that enormously feeds on the pseudostem and causes serious damage to banana cultivation. It is a monophagous pest of banana, which showed extreme preference to some commercially viable cultivars such as Nendran, (AAB) Palayankodan,(AAB) Red banana (AAA) and extreme non preference to some commercially non viable cultivars such as Kadali, Kannan, Aattinkombu (all AA types) and Thenkaali (AAB). Field study, diversity analysis and pest status of Musa cultivars in Chittar panchayt of Pathanamthitta district (Kerala) by Arc GIS software showed that maximum diversity of cultivars with minimum pest attack was seen in those wards which are ecotones with respect to forest and agro ecosystem. Rearing of O.longicollis larvae in Thenkaali and Aattinkombu has resulted mortality of them evidenced by hyperprotenemia and hyperuricemia of haemolymph. The HPTLC study has revealed that pseudostem of Aattinkombu and Thenkaali possessed three additional compounds which were not present in pest sensitive cultivars. The differential distribution of secondary metabolites in the pseudostem of the above two cultivars can also be felt by difference in the smell of freshly cut pseudostem.