SCREENING OF DIFFERENT EGGPLANT (SOLANUM MELONGENA L.) VARIETIES FOR RESISTANCE AGAINST EGGPLANT SHOOT AND FRUIT BORER (LEUCINODES ORBONALISG. (LEPIDOPTERA: PYRALIDAE) UNDER SEMI-ARID CONDITIONS.

Current experiment was conducted to screen out seven different cultivars of eggplant against eggplant fruit and shoot borer (Leucinodes orbonalis G.). The experiment was carried out at Entomological research area, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Pakistan during March 2018 to July 2018 as spring sown crop. The trial was carried out according to RCB design having seven treatments (varieties) and four replications. Data was recorded on three different dates (i.e. 10-06-2018, 25-06-2018 and 10-07-2018). Results showed that maximum mean percent shoot infestation was recorded on Eggplant F1 Chaya 704 (52.46 ± 2.92%) while minimum mean shoot infestation was observed in Eggplant Long Purple Sky 384 (10.59 ± .95%). Maximum mean fruit infestation was also recorded in Eggplant F1 Chaya 704 (55.99 ± 4.83%) while the lowest mean value was observed in Eggplant Black Boy 706 (13.13 ± 4.36%). Correlation studies showed that there was significant positive * correlation between shoot infestation and plant height (r= .260 ) and significant positive correlation among fruit infestation and length of fruit (r= .205). After grading of varieties, it was concluded that there was only Eggplant Black Boy 706 placed at resistant grade due to least fruit as well as shoot infestation. Eggplant Black Long US 3715 and Eggplant Rosa Bianca Organic was observed as tolerant varieties against the pest. It was concluded that afore-mentioned varieties contained genetical resistance against eggplant shoot and fruit borer. These varieties should be disseminated in agriculture sector as environmentally safe plant protection measure. Furthermore, superior traits of resistant plants should be genetically evaluated to improve other varieties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]