SILICA OF RICE CULTIVARS, ORYZA SATIVA (LINN.) VERSUS FEEDING BY OXYA NITIDULA (WALKER)
D. SURESH CHAND *
G.S. GILL RESEARCH INSTITUTE, GURU NANAK COLLEGE, CHENNAI 600 042, INDIA.
M.C. MURALIRANGAN *
G.S. GILL RESEARCH INSTITUTE, GURU NANAK COLLEGE, CHENNAI 600 042, INDIA.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The present investigation aimed at evaluating the effect of silica content in eighteen rice cultivars to the feeding of Oxya nitidula (Walker). Food consumption by O. nitidula was carried out on all the selected cultivars fed through “no-choice” basis. IR 50 was the most preferred in comparison to the other cultivars. The silica content of each cultivars had a negative role with respect to the food consumption by O. nitidula. High silica content in the plant seemed to interfere with feeding of the insect and showed a negative correlation.