SCREENING <em>CASUARINA</em> <em>EQUISETIFOLIA</em> PROVENANCES AGAINST THE BARK CATERPILLAR, <em>INDARBELA</em> <em>QUADRINOTATA</em> AND POSSIBLE BIOCHEMICAL FACTORS DETERMINING RESISTANCE

Abstract

Over 60 insect species are reported to be associated with Casuarina equisetifolia in India and among them the bark caterpillar, Indarbela quadrinotata is considered as the key pest in Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry. In order to determine the seed sources resistant to the bark caterpillar, screening was carried out at the International Provenance Trial of C.equisetifolia established at Pondicherry with 35 seed sources from various parts of the world. It was found that two seed sources were not infested by the pest throughout the study period from 1997 till 2003. Other seed sources were found to have low, moderate or high susceptibility. Studies on the bark chemistry showed that infestation was negatively correlated with tannin contents. The seed sources, which are unattacked or exhibiting low susceptibility may be useful for planting in bark caterpillar epidemic locations as well as for breeding programme to develop bark caterpillar resistant varieties
of Casuarina.