CLONING AND CHARACTERIZING THE FOLMER REGION OF MTCOI GENE DIAGNOSTIC FOR SUGARCANE TOP BORER, SCIRPOPHAGA EXCERPTALIS (WALKER) (LEPIDOPTERA: PYRALIDAE)

Abstract

Folmer region of mtCOI gene from sugarcane top borer, Scirpophaga excerptalis (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) has been cloned and characterized. This would be the ideal DNA barcode as it is 658 bp in size (KJ013411) and does not have any stop codon in its amino acid sequence. The COI fragment cloned in this study showed less than 89% identity with other species of Scirpophaga having full length DNA barcodes and hence, it clearly delineates S. excerptalis from other closely related congenerics. The COI gene sequence of S. excerptalis would also serve as a base for identifying the cryptic species if any, in the sugarcane crop ecosystem of the Indian subcontinent.