Morphological and Biochemical Basis of Resistance in Pulses to the Spotted Pod Borer <i>Maruca vitrata</i>

Spotted pod borer Maruca vitrata is one of the serious insect on the legumes crop, which causes damage to the crop mainly at the reproductive phase. A study conducted for their preference among four pulses crops namely, pigeanpea, green gram, black gram and cowpea. Among the tested crops, cowpea and green gram has highest pod damage of 24.14% and 18.70%, respectively while pigeonpea and black gram has lowest pod damage of 10.06% and 14.30%, respectively. It was observed that highly susceptible crop cowpea has less number of trichomes on leaves (31.99/ 9 mm2) and on pod (35.69/ 9 mm2) while the resistant crop pigeonpea has dense trichomes on leaves (317.14/ 9 mm2) and on pods (332.02/ 9 mm2). Similarly, the highest phenol content recorded in pegionpea (23.72 and 25.91 mg/ g) whereas lowest in cowpea (15.37 and 17.40 mg/ g) in pods and grains, which are considered to be the main factors to confer resistance in plants. Morphological and biochemical traits found in plant parts are crucial in providing host plant resistance to insect pests.