HOST PLANT RESISTANCE IN GROUNDNUT: FIELD SCREENING OF GENOTYPES AGAINST APROAEREMA MODICELLA

Twenty five groundnut genotypes were field screened for leaf miner and defoliator incidence. The study was conducted at Dryland Agricultural Research Station, Chettinad during Kharif 2011and Rabi 2011-12. Periodic observations on leaf miner and defoliator damage were recorded in all the genotypes. Incidence of leaf miner was increased with raise in maximum temperature and decrease in relative humidity, rainfall and leaf wetness. The field screening results revealed that less leaf miner incidence was recorded in the genotypes viz., ICGV 06424, ICGV 07220, ICGV 07222, ICGV 07240, ICGV 07245, ICGV 07247, ICGV 07268, ICGS 11 and VRI (Gn) 6 in both the seasons. To identify the resistant genotypes to leaf miner, further screening studies under in vitro conditions with the identified genotypes with less incidence of leaf miner are required.