BIONOMICS OF ODOIPORUS LONGICOLLIS OLIVIER (COLEOPTERA: RHYNCHOPHORIDAE) ON BANANA PLANT (MUSA PARADISICA)

The banana pseudostem weevil Odoiporus longicollis Olivier has been recorded for the first time in Poonch and Rajouri districts of Jammu region as a major pest of banana plant (Musa spp.) which are grown in patches in this area. Both larvae and adults caused extensive tunelling in the leaf sheaths as well as in core region. Percentage incidence ranged between 47-61.2 per cent with a mean of 54.55[plus or minus] 2.28 per cent. Mating occurs in mating spaces between leaf sheaths. One egg laid in one air chamber. Egg is cylindrical, yellowish white. Larvae are apodous, soft, and cylindrical with dark brown head and pass through five larval instars. Elongated cylindrical cocoons are formed for pupation by winding short pieces of fibrous materials of the leaf sheath. The pests breed throughout the year and do not undergo winter rest. Black and reddish brown adults were recorded from the splitted pseudostems of the damaged banana plants and colour difference represents a phenomenon of non sex limited variation in conspecific sympatric phena of the pest.