**5.** *Jasminum nitidum*

This twinning climber has slender stems and forms a dense habit. The dark glossy green leaves are lance shaped, and the fragrant white star-shaped flowers appear throughout summer in clusters (**Figure 4**). The angle-winged jasmine is grown for its flowers and glossy foliage. It is planted in small or large gardens for its fragrance or to grow over lattice or a pergola. It is suitable for coastal sub-tropical regions and establishes in 1–2 years. It is also used in containers and grown under glass in cold climates. Once established, it has a high-water requirement and responds to an occasional deep watering particularly during dry periods [10].

The production of jasmine is affected by various factors, among which insect pests are the most devastating factor. The major pests affecting jasmine are jasmine bud worm (*Hendecasis duplifascialis* Hampson), leaf webworm (*Nausinoe geometralis* Guenee), gallery worm (*Elasmopalpus jasminophagus* Hampson), leaf roller (*Glyphodes unionalis* Hübner), and the two spotted mite (*Tetranychus urticae* Koch). Of these, bud worm and blossom midge gain major economic importance, as they cause excessive damage to the buds, which is the economic part of the plant [11]. The midge maggots enter into the buds at the base of the corollas resulting in swelling and shrivelling at the base of the buds. The maggots feed inside unopened flower buds, causing deformed, pink discolored buds and blossoms. In case of severe infestations, buds dry prematurely leading to bud drop or blossom drop, thereby the marketable quantity of the flowers is greatly reduced [12] (**Figure 5**).

Management of this pest has become a menace for the jasmine growers. The knowledge on life history of the pest as well as the life table on different varieties is essential for developing IPM in better management of any pests. The knowledge of the sequence of developmental stages, their duration, and number of generations and method of overwintering is essential to know the 'weakest link' in the life cycle. This would help to aim control measures effectively at the most vulnerable stage of the pest. The biology of jasmine midge is attempted in the four cultivable jasmine

**Figure 4.** Jasminum nitidum.

**139**

**7.1 Eggs**

**Figure 6.**

**7.2 Maggot**

*Bioecology of Blossom Midge of Jasmine,* Contarinia maculipennis *Felt...*

Jasmine branches with flowers were replaced daily with fresh branches.

In the laboratory, 10 pairs of adult midges were introduced into the rearing cage (50 × 45 × 45 cm). A 250 ml conical flask filled with water plugged with adsorbent cotton and inserted with fresh *J. sambac* branches with flowers and buds was kept inside the cages to facilitate oviposition. The buds were checked for eggs, and the life history was studied. The lower surface of the rearing cage was filled with moist sand and planted with three-fourth mature flower buds to facilitate pupation of the maggots. The egg, maggot, pupal, and adult longevity periods were recorded.

The biology was also studied by rearing them in *J. auriculatum, J. grandiflorum,* and *J. nitidum* buds by placing the respective branches in the conical flask with

To study the biology in different *Jasminum* species, the midges were cultured in *J. sambac, J. auriculatum, J. grandiflorum,* and *J. nitidum* placed inside Petri dishes,

The life span of blossom midge, *C. maculipennis,* was studied on four cultivable *Jasminum* species namely*, J. sambac*, *J. auriculatum*, *J. grandiflorum,* and *J. nitidum* in the laboratory. The life cycle of blossom midge consisted of egg, larval, pupal, and adult stages (**Figure 7**). The extensive details of life stages were studied in all the four *Jasminum* sp. and furnished in **Table 1**. The different life stages were detailed in

The eggs were elongated and cylindrically laid on the inner whorls of the petals in groups of 10–13 during night times. The eggs hatched in 1–2 days. The average egg period was 1.3, 1.2, 1.1, and 1.1 days in *J. sambac, J. auriculatum*, *J. grandiflorum,*

The larval stages of midges are called maggots. There were totally four larval instars. The maggots were narrow with pointed anterior and posterior ends.

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.92410*

**6. Materials and methods**

flowers and buds (**Figure 6**).

**7. Results and discussion**

*Mass culturing of blossom midge.*

the following paragraphs.

and *J. nitidum,* respectively.

and the following parameters were recorded.

#### **Figure 5.**

*Symptoms of damage of blossom midge,* Contarinia maculipennis.

species, that is*, J. sambac*, *J. auriculatum*, *J. grandiflorum,* and *J. nitidum*. The objective of the study is to compare the different life stages of blossom midge in different *Jasminum* species.

*Bioecology of Blossom Midge of Jasmine,* Contarinia maculipennis *Felt... DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.92410*
