Evaluation of pigeonpea genotypes for their susceptibility to spotted pod borer, Maruca vitrata under field conditions

A field experiment was conducted during Kharif, 2018 to screen twenty pigeonpea genotypes for their resistance or susceptible to spotted pod borer, Maruca vitrata. The results showed that based on per cent pod and seed damage ten genotypes viz. RVSA 16-4 (4.67 & 2.14), LRG 467 (5.33 & 2.77), IPA 15-05 (6.67 & 3.77), BDN 711 (6.67 and 3.88), JKM 189 (6.67 and 3.77), GJP 1606 (7.33 and 4.24), TJT 501 (8.00 and 4.27), LRG 463 (8.00 and 4.56), ICPL 87119 (8.00 and 4.57) and RKPV 527-01 (8.00 and 4.4.7) were grouped under the resistant category as they recorded the pest susceptibility rating ranging from 1 to 5; and nine genotypes viz., WRP 1 (13.33 and 7.53), GRG 152 (14.00 and 7.61), PA 440 (14.67 and 8.42), BDN 716 (14.67 and 7.92), LRG 460 (15.33 and 9.94), BDN 2 (17.33 and 9.18), LRG 464 (17.33 and 9.35), LRG 466 (19.33 and 10.05) and ICPL 8863 (22.67 and 13.12) were grouped under the susceptible category as they recorded the pest susceptibility rating ranging from 7 to 9. Maximum seed yield was recorded in RVSA 16-4 (987.33 kg ha-1), followed by LRG 467(958.00), WRP 1(812.33) and RKPV 527-01(793.87), while minimum seed yield was recorded in ICPL 8863 (360.67 kg ha-1). Overall, the genotypes, RVSA 16-4, LRG 467 and RKPV 527-01 with less M. vitrata incidence and high grain yield were promising and can be utilisized in further breeding programme.