Indian Society of Genetics & Plant Breeding
Pink borer (Sesamia inferensWalker) is a major insect pest
of winter maize across the peninsular India. In India winter
season maize is more productive than rainy season maize.
Thus, control of this insect pest assumes wide importance
in ensuring higher maize productivity in India. Among
various control measures resistance breeding is one of
the most viable and sustainable options to control this
insect pest. In the present investigation response of 48
promising maize inbred lines belonging to diverse sources
to pink borer was analyzed and reported for the first time
the inheritance pattern of resistance against pink borer in
maize. Out of the 48 inbred lines screened under artificial
infestation following standard technique, eight were found
to be resistant to pink borer with leaf injury rating (LIR)
score less than 3.0, while 16 were moderately resistant
and 24 were highly susceptible. Generation mean analysis
of a cross between E 62 and CML 451 revealed presence
of negative additive and dominance effects, and positive
additive × dominance (j) and dominance × dominance (l)
epistatic interaction effects. Based on the findings
pedigree and population improvement breeding with low
selection intensity in early generations are suggested to
develop new pink borer resistant lines. Single cross
hybrids with lower pink borer susceptibility are feasible
to develop with use of at least one of the resistant parent
Keywords: Maize, pink borer, insect resistance, inheritance, generation mean analysis
Year: 2012
Volume: 72
Issue: 3
Article DOI: N/A
Print ISSN: 0019-5200
Online ISSN: 0975-6906
H. B. Santosh info_circle
J. C. Sekhar info_circle
Sujay Rakshit info_circle
R. N. Gadag info_circle
Sain Dass info_circle
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