Biological effects of Trypsin inhibitor (TI) on the sugarcane shoot borer, Chilo infuscatellus (Snellen)

Different concentrations of Trypsin inhibitor @ 100, 200, 300, 400 and 500 ppm were fortified into the artificial diet of shoot borer, Chilo infuscatellus (Snellen). The results indicated that the trypsin inhibitor significantly reduced larval and pupal weight in all the treatments as compared to control. Similarly, larval duration on trypsin inhibitor impregnated diet extended longer from 28 to 37 days as compared to 21–24 days in control. Higher dose of trypsin inhibitor @ 400 and 500 ppm fed-shoot borer larvae exhibited lowest larval (67 and 50%) and pupal (50 and 42%) survival over the control larval (91.66%) and pupal (83.33%) survival, respectively. Mostly, the adults emerged from the pupae of all the treatments except control were malformed particularly the wings formation affected. Moreover, fecundity of females was absolutely nil in all the treatments excluding control which recorded 287 ± 23 eggs/female. Adult longevity was shorter in all the treatments than control.