Snehel Chakravarty1*, Tanusa Bera2, Meena Agnihotri2 and Jaba Jagdish3
1Department of Entomology and Agricultural Zoology, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi-221005, Uttar Pradesh, India. 2Department of Entomology, G. B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar-263145, Uttarakhand, India. 3International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, Patancheru-502324, Telangana, India.
Received on 20 April 2016 and accepted on 17 June 2016
ABSTRACT
Ten promising short duration genotypes of pigeonpea were screened under field conditions for two years (2013-15) to identify sources of resistance against pod borers. On the basis of per cent pod damage and Pest Susceptibility Rating (PSR) index, genotypes PUSA-2012-1, PA 409, PA 406, AL1747 were found to be least susceptible (PSR= 4 to 5) while two genotypes, AL 1790 and AL 1770 were ascertained highly susceptible against pod borers having damage rating of 8 over the susceptible check cultivar (Manak). Phenol and flavonoid content present in the pod wall of all the test genotypes/cultivars were also estimated. Highest phenol and flavonoid content was recorded from PUSA-2012-1 while the lowest content was obtained from the genotype AL 1790. Correlation studies made with these biochemical constituents revealed a significant and negative association of pod damage (%) with phenol (r = -0.896**) and flavonoid (r = -0.872**) content in pod walls. Thus the genotypes having higher content of phenols and flavonoids in their pod walls offered resistance against pod borer complex.
Keywords
Pigeonpea, Screening, Resistance, Pod borers, Biochemical traits.