Pantnagar Journal of Research

Abstract

Sixty-three pigeonpea germplasms were screened for two years at G. B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar to study the resistant traits in the germplasm against pod borer complex viz., Helicoverpa armigera, Maruca vitrata and Melanagromyza obtusa. Lowest mean pod damage was observed in PA 517 (5.05%) followed by PA 526 (7.27%), PA 515 (7.79%), PA 529 (7.83%) and other 38 least susceptible germplasms as promising cultivars of pigeonpea against pod borer complex. Further, selected germplasms were studied for biophysical and biochemical traits of resistance which were substantiated with correlation studies with per cent pod damage by pod borer complex and the results showed that germplasms having lesser pod length, higher pod width, higher pod wall thickness, lower number of seeds per pod, lower number of pods per plant, higher trichome length, higher trichome density, higher phenols, lower sugars and lower proteins were less attacked by the pod borer complex. The combination of these traits of pigeonpea can be used as effective and reliable selection criteria to select resistant germplasm against pod borers.