Laboratory rearing of mango stem borer, Batocera rufomaculata De Geer using drumstick twigs

Abstract

Studies were conducted at ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bengaluru to find an ideal laboratory host plant material to rear the mango stem borer, Batocera rufomaculata De Geer. Three host plants viz., drum stick, jack fruit and mango were evaluated for their suitability to rear larvae of B. rufomaculata in the laboratory. Fifteen fresh twigs each of three host plants, approximately measuring 40 cm length and 5-6 cm in diameter were used for the experiment. Though all the three plant species tested are preferred hosts of B. rufomaculata under field conditions, their host status under laboratory conditions was not uniform. Among three host plants evaluated, the recovery of adults was highest (80.00%) from drumstick twigs making it a suitable host material. This is a simple technology to study the biology, behavior and larval tunneling pattern of B. rufomaculata and also to conduct bioassay studies in the laboratory.