Studies on Biology of Sugarcane shoot borer, Chilo infuscatellus Snellen under Laboratory

The biology of sugarcane shoot borer under laboratory conditions revealed that the eggs were oval in shape, dorsoventrally flattened, looked like a scale of fish and were laid in masses on the under surface near to midrib of the leaf. Freshly laid eggs were creamy white in colour, which gradually changed to yellowish. The incubation period varied from 4.35 to 4.45 (4.4±0.02) days. The larvae passed through five larval instars to complete the larval period. The total larval period varied from 16.66 to 17.23 (16.94±0.12) days. The pupa was obtect type, brownish in colour and its period varied from 6.92 to 7.5 (7.21±0.13) days. The male and female adult period varied from 3.62 to 3.80 (3.71±0.04) and 4.31 to 4.45 (4.38±0.03) days, respectively. The per cent hatching of Chilo infuscatellus ranges from 78.3 to 92.4 (85.35±3.15) per cent. Total life cycle Chilo infuscatellus Snell. from egg to adult emergence varied from 31.95 to 32.82 (32.28±0.20) days.