OVIPOSITIONAL PREFERENCE OF THE RICE LEAF MINER, HYDRELLIA-WIRTHI KORYTKOWSKI (DIPTERA, EPHYDRIDAE), ON SELECTED RICE VARIETIES

Oviposition by Hydrellia wirthi Korytkowski was studied on nine rice v arieties. Significant differences among varieties were detected in the number of eggs, mines, and pupae. The Asian cultivar IR-8 was highly preferred for oviposition while a Colombian cultivar, Oryzica 2, was t he least preferred. Another Colombian cultivar (Oryzica 1) was not onl y preferred for oviposition, but also presented the highest number of pupae plant(-1). For the U.S. variety Bluebonnet 50, the oviposition r ate was not associated with larval survival suggesting that plant arch itecture and (or) plant vigour may affect larval survival on this cult ivar.