Morpho-physiological and biochemical analysis of host plants of foliage feeding scarab beetles

Abstract

The Morpho-physiological and biochemical studies revealed that out of 8 host plants, Hibiscus mutabilis recorded maximum leaf breadth (14.24 cm), leaf area (221.27 cm2), number of veins (26.66 nos.) and number of veinlets (376.66 nos.). The lowest leaf length (5.63 cm), number of veins (10.66 nos.) and number of veinlets (151.66 nos.) was registered in Zyjiphus jujube. It was also observed that host plants with alternate type of phyllotaxy were heavily infested by the beetles. The biochemical analysis showed that the carbohydrate content was maximum in Hibiscus mutabilis (21.76%) followed by Rosa chinensis (19.19%) and Corchorus sp. (16.61 %), whereas the minimum was recorded in Psidium guajava (11.57%). The protein and nitrogen content was found to be maximum in Corchorus sp. (26.59 and 4.255%, respectively) and lowest in Psidium guajava (12.65 and 2.025%, respectively). The oil content was found to be highest in Zyjiphus jujube (8.07%) and lowest in Terminalia chebula (3.6%).