Preselection of Caricature Plant [Graptophyllum pictum (L.) Griff.] Resistance Trait to Doleschallia bisaltide Cramer (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae).

Abstract

Caricature plant is one of the medicinal plants developed in Indonesia. The leaves of this plant can be used for treating hemorrhoids, cleaning blood especially after uttering and menstruation, rheumatism, and preventing teeth plaque. The biggest problem in caricature plant development is Doleschallia bisaltide (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) attack. Resistance variety is one of the ways to solve this problem. Generally, plants have resistance mechanism to prevent herbivore attack. Therefore, it is needed to study caricature plant-D. bisaltide interaction to find varietal control for this insect. The objective of this research is to do early selection on 13 accessions of caricature plant for resistance to D. bisaltide. Moreover, we also interest to identify resistance level of 13 caricature plant accessions to D.bisaltide. This research was divided into three studies, including a) morphology and phytochemical identification on thirteen accessions of caricature plant; b) oviposition preference of adult D. bisaltide on thirteen accessions of caricature plant; and c) D. bisaltide larvae consumption activity preference of on thirteen accessions of caricature plant. All studies were done at Indonesian for Medicinal and Aromatic Crops Research Institute (BALITTRO) from May 2009 until February 2010. Thirteen accessions of caricature plant were come from exploration result of Khumaida et.al in year 2008. Based on qualitative analysis, there were changes in each kind of secondary metabolites after D.bisaltide larvae feeding, there were no change in tannin and alkaloid contains, but there decreases in flavonoid, glycoside, and steroid. It was found increasing of triterpenoid and saponin contain after attack caricature plant leaves. Moreover, there was an increased in calcium and C/N ratio on almost caricature plant accessions. Caricature plant colors tend to influenced adult oviposition preference. Based on all observation, it can be concluded that accession 12 was resistant to D. bisaltide attack with antixenosis mechanism. Accession 1, 2, 5, and 9 were susceptible to D. bisaltide. Chlorophyll might be used as selection character. By this research, we haven’t identified about antibiosis mechanism yet.