Abstract

                                In the present study, molecular characterization was carried out at the Department of Plant Biotechnology, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore to identify the strains of fall armyworm collected from pearl millet crop at four different locations in Tamil Nadu, India. PCR-RFLP profile of mitochondrial COI fragment exhibited the presence of both ‘C’ and ‘R’ strains of FAW. MtCOI region analysis revealed that, thirteen samples showed ‘R’ strain identity, and others assumed ‘C’ strain identity. Sequence analyses of mtCOI region of FAW feeding on pearl millet showed nucleotide variations in 22 positions. The Strain, ON142640 (Pearl millet Vridhachalam India) totally diverged from all populations subjected to phylogenetic analysis in this study and was suspected to be an inter-strain (R/C) hybrid. The per cent identity analysis of S. frugiperda ranged from 99% to 100% with previously deposited sequences in the NCBI-GenBank database.

Key words : Fall armyworm; Pearl millet; Molecular characterization; Strain; PCR-RFLP; Phylogenetic analysis