Detection of genetic polymorphism in the populations of brinjal shoot and fruit borer, Leucinodes orbonalis (Guenee).

In the present study six different populations of L. orbonalis were collected and subjected to analysis of genetic variability in terms of carboxylesterase isozyme pattern and DNA polymorphism using RAPD-PCR. Pattern of carboxylesterase revealed a similar isozyme cluster in the populations namely, sivaganga (population-3), dindigal (population-4), virudhunagar (population-5) and coimbatore (population-6). Similarly, the populations of L. orbonalis recorded 3 distinct randomly amplified polymorphic DNA markers in all populations grouped above. This pattern of genetic variability in the populations was also supported by the analysis of the similarity indices and UPGMA dendrogram.