**9. Conclusion**

The life cycle studies of blossom midge on four cultivable *Jasminum* sp., *J. sambac, J. auriculatum, J. grandiflorum,* and *J. nitidum* revealed that the life cycle consists of egg, maggot, pupal, and adult stages. The life cycle and duration of each stage are found to be the shortest on *J. nitidum* and the longest on *J. sambac.*

The use of moderately resistant varieties as a part of IPM strategy can enhance the biological and chemical tools of insect pest management. One of the techniques to decrease the pest damage is the use of the cultivars or species, which shows higher resistance to insect pests such as *J. nitidum* and *J. grandiflorum* in areas where incidence of jasmine mites was high. *J. grandiflorum* is a commercially cultivated species of Jasmine, well known for its mesmerizing fragrance as well as usage for concrete recovery. But, *J. nitidum* is a new *Jasminum* species with star-shaped fragrant flowers newly introduced for commercial flower cultivation. Hence, utilizing this least preferred species in breeding programs of jasmine will yield better varieties with greater degree of resistance to jasmine pests.
