Endogenous effect of Syzygium cumini genotypes on incidence of fruit borers, Meridarchis scyrodes and Dudua aprobola

Abstract

Aim: Identification of Jamun (Syzygium cumini L. sleeks) resistant genotypes against important fruit borers, Meridarchis scyrodes and Dudua aprobola for their sustainable management. Methodology: Twenty-six genotypes of Syzygium cumini from the gene bank were tested for resistance against fruit borers. Randomly fruits were collected from three plants of each genotype and mean incidence of fruit borers Meridarchis scyrodes and Dudua aprobola was recorded along with biophysical structures. The collected fruits were also analyzed for antixenotics and allelochemical biomolecules. Results: On the basis of resistance scale, 5 genotypes were resistant, 11 were moderately resistant; 7 were susceptible and 2 were highly susceptible to fruit borers (M. scyrodes and D. aprobola) infestation. The infestation in different genotypes was negatively correlated with phenols, flavonoides, tannins and alkaloids, while it was positively correlated with fruit length, fruit width, pulp thickness and pulp: stone ratio. The phenolic and tannin content explained 93.30% of genotypic variability against M. scyrodes infestation while the genotypic variability explained 81% due to phenolic content followed by tannin content 10.4 % against D. aprobola infestation. Interpretation: The jamun genotypes (GJ-27 & GJ-17) comes out as resistant against fruit bores with minimal infestation that can be used as breeding material for development of high yielding and borer resistant jamun varieties with higher antioxidant activity. We can use the jamun genotypes that resistant to fruit borers with minimal investment to get high yield under good agricultural practices. Therefore, resistance to fruit borers jamun genotypes can be used as part of sustainable management or integrated pest management.