Phytomyza orobanchiae Kaltenbach

The potted plants of brinjal containing Orobanche cernua are exposed to Phytomyza orobanchiae and kept in cages. The cycle is repeated by raising a series of such plants and by providing cages for each lot for further development.

The females of Phytomyza orobanchiae lay eggs on open flowers or slits of Orobanche which hatch after two days. The larva on hatching feeds on the reproductive tissues and ultimately tunnel through the base of the ovary into the stem where it completes feeding within 6 days. The larva preparing for pupation cuts an 1 mm circular emergence hole in the outer layer of the cuticle of Orobanche. The adult lives for about 10 days. The entire life cycle is completed within 20 days. The diapause lasts 150-160 days.