Screening of bamboo germplasms for resistance against bamboo leaf roller, Pyrausta coclesalis (Lepidoptera: Pyraustidae), in Central India

Introduction

Bamboo, a versatile member of the Poaceae family, has been deeply embedded in the socioeconomic and cultural traditions of South and Southeast Asia for millennia. It provides essential resources for housing, crafts, nutrition, and traditional remedies, supporting approximately one-third of the world's population (Dutta and Tomar, 1964; Liese, 1985; Tewari, 1992) [2,5,13] . Its rapid growth rate, robust regeneration, and adaptability to diverse environmental conditions have made bamboo a cornerstone of reforestation efforts, soil conservation programs, water retention initiatives, and sustainable alternatives to timber across multiple industries. Additionally, bamboo shoots serve as a valued food source in Asia, with certain species contributing to ethnomedicinal practices (Dutta and Tomar, 1964; Liese, 1985) [2,5] . However, bamboo cultivation faces substantial threats from insect pests, with over 170 species documented in India and adjacent regions alone (Mathur and Singh, 1943; Roychoudhury and Joshi, 2005) [6,10] . Defoliators pose the greatest risk, particularly leaf rollers that drastically impair photosynthesis, stunt culm development, and can kill juvenile plants during severe outbreaks (Mathur, 1943; Tewari, 1992; Pal et al., 1996) [6,13,7] . Among these, Pyrausta bambucivora Moore and Crypsiptya coclesalis Walker (syn. Pyrausta coclesalis; Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) emerge as the most devastating on the Indian subcontinent. These pests trigger widespread epidemics in nurseries and plantations, severely compromising bamboo productivity and necessitating urgent germplasm screening for resistance.

Despite documentation of over 170 bamboo pests, systematic germplasm screening for resistance remains limited, with varying susceptibility observed among species like Bambusa vulgaris, Dendrocalamus strictus, and Bambusa balcooa (Joshi et al., 2008; Rao et al., 2006) [3,8] . Given the escalating threat of bamboo leaf roller (Pyrausta coclesalis) infestations and the urgent need for sustainable pest management solutions, a field experiment was conducted during 2024-25 at the AICRP on Agroforestry Research Farm, Futala, College of Agriculture, Nagpur. This study systematically screened 11 diverse bamboo germplasms under main field and nursery conditions in Central India to evaluate their susceptibility levels and identify naturally resistant lines. These findings provide critical insights for developing resistance-based strategies to protect bamboo productivity in pest-prone agroforestry systems.

Materials and Methods

The field experiment was conducted during the Kharif season of 2024-25 at the AICRP on Agroforestry Research Farm, Futala, College of Agriculture, Nagpur, Maharashtra, to screen different bamboo germplasms against the bamboo leaf roller, Pyrausta coclesalis Walker (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). [11,9,4] , where Bambusa spp. consistently showed higher vulnerability than Oxytenanthera or Multiplex types. Prioritizing resistant germplasms (O. parvifolia, T. oliveri, B. multiplex arfoscara) in plantations reduces chemical dependency and supports integrated pest management (Singh & Singh, 2017) [12] . This approach enhances bamboo resilience in Central India, mitigating defoliation losses while promoting sustainable agroforestry. Future breeding programs should target these tolerant lines for commercial propagation. Among the seven main field species, Bambusa balcoa showed the highest cumulative mean leaf infestation at 21.13%, confirming its status as the most susceptible, followed by Bambusa vulgaris (19.46%). These species exhibited consistently high damage across all 12 observation periods.

Dendrocalamus asper (12.43%) and Schizostachyum dullooa (11.21%) demonstrated moderate susceptibility, while Oxytenanthera parvifolia (7.31%), Thyrsostachys oliveri (9.17%), and Bambusa pallida (8.66%) recorded significantly lower infestation, indicating moderate resistance and establishing a clear susceptibility gradient. In nursery conditions, Bambusa strictus was most susceptible (11.34%), followed by Bambusa nutans (9.45%) and Bambusa multiplex green (8.23%), all showing moderate, consistent damage. Bambusa multiplex arfoscara exhibited the lowest infestation at 7.25%, demonstrating strong tolerance under early growth stages. These findings align with prior research identifying B. balcoa and B. vulgaris as highly vulnerable under field conditions, while O. parvifolia and T. oliveri consistently show resistance (Sharma et al., 2018; Rao et al., 2019) [11,9] . Nursery patterns corroborate B. strictus susceptibility and B. multiplex arundinacea tolerance (Das & Mukherjee, 2020; Kaur et al., 2016) [1,4] . Selecting resistant germplasms like O. parvifolia, T. oliveri, and B. multiplex arundinacea for plantations reduces chemical reliance and strengthens integrated pest management, promoting sustainable bamboo cultivation (Singh & Singh, 2017) [12] .

Acknowledgement

AcknowledgementsThe authors gratefully acknowledge for the research facilities provided by Dr. PDKV, Akola.

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