Abstract: Folding and spinning behavior of Cnaphalocrocis medinalis (Guenee) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) in different categories of rice genotypes viz., resistant, susceptible, hybrid, scented, popular and wild rice genotypes were significantly different. Longer leaf selection time and folding time per primary fold; shorter primary fold and whole leaf fold; lower number of binds per primary fold and whole leaf fold were recorded in resistant and wild rice genotypes. In the correlation analysis, it was found that the leaf folding parameters were positively correlated to leaf folder damage whereas the leaf spinning parameters were negatively correlated. Similarly, the morphological characters differed significantly among the chosen genotypes and were related to leaffolder damage. The leaf width and total productive tiller number were positively correlated to leaffolder infestation. Results also indicated that the trichome density and length, leaf length and plant height might contribute to resistance whereas total number of green leaves had no effect on leaffolder infestation. In the scatter plot analysis between leaf folding and spinning characters and leaffolder damage, the genotypes were separated into four groups viz., resistant (TKM6, Ptb 33, LFR831311, Oryza rhizomatis and O. minuta), moderately resistant (ASD16 and CORH1), moderately susceptible (ADT36, Pusa Basmati and CB200290) and susceptible (IR36 and TN1). The present investigation proved that the leaf morphology viz., leaf length and width, plant height and trichome density and length may play a vital role in resistance against rice leaffolder.

Key words: rice genotype, Cnaphalocrocis medinalis, folding and spinning behaviour, leaf morphology