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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 01 December 2008
The legume pod borer (Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner)) is one of the most important pests of pigeonpea. The levels of resistance to H. armigera in the cultivated germplasm are quite low, and therefore there is a need to introgress resistance genes from wild relatives into the cultigen. We evaluated a diverse array of wild relatives of pigeonpea for oviposition non-preference and antibiosis components of resistance to H. armigera. The accessions ICPW 1 (Cajanus acutifolius), ICPW 13 and 14 (C. albicans), ICPW 159 and 160 (C. sericeus), ICPW 68 (C. platycarpus), ICPW 83, 90, 94, 125, 137, 141 and 280 (C. scarabaeoides), ICPW 207 (Paracalyx scariosa) and ICPW 210 (Rhynchosia aurea) showed high levels of antixenosis for oviposition under no-choice, dual-choice and multi-choice conditions. High levels of antibiosis were observed when the larvae were reared on leaves and/or pods of C. acutifolius (ICPW 1), C. cajanifolius (ICPW 29), C. sericeus (ICPW 160), P. scariosa (ICPW 207), C. scarabaeoides and C. albicans. Lyophilized leaf or pod powder incorporated into the artificial diet can be used to assess antibiosis to H. armigera, and high levels of antibiosis to H. armigera were observed in diets with leaf and/or pod powder of some of the accessions of C. acutifolius, C. lineatus, C. sericeus, C. scarabaeoides, C. platycarpus, P. scariosa and R. aurea. Post-embryonic development period was prolonged in insects reared on leaves and pods of wild relatives of pigeonpea. The accessions showing high levels of antixenosis and antibiosis can be used to increase the levels and diversify the bases of resistance to H. armigera in pigeonpea.