TITLE:
Nature of Gene Action and Maternal Effects for Pod Borer, Helicoverpa armigera Resistance and Grain Yield in Chickpea, Cicer arietinum
AUTHORS:
Vummadisetty Lakshmi Narayanamma, Cholenehalli L. L. Gowda, Manda Sriramulu, Mohammad A. Ghaffar, Hari C. Sharma
KEYWORDS:
Chickpea; Pod Borer; Helicoverpa armigera; Gene Action; Antibiosis; Maternal Effects; Combining Ability; Inheritance of Resistance
JOURNAL NAME:
American Journal of Plant Sciences,
Vol.4 No.1,
January
30,
2013
ABSTRACT: Information on mechanisms and inheritance of resistance is critical to plan an effective strategy to breed for resistance to insect pests. Therefore, we evaluated a diverse array of chickpea genotypes (eight desi and one kabuli) with varying levels of resistance to the pod borer, Helicoverpa armigera to gain an understanding of the nature of gene action and possible maternal effects. The test genotypes were crossed in all possible combinations for a full diallel. The 72 F1s (36 direct and 36 reciprocal crosses) along with the parents were evaluated for resistance to H. armigera under field conditions, and for antibiosis mechanism of resistance (larval survival and larval weight gain) by using detached leaf assay under laboratory conditions, and grain yield under un-protected conditions in the field. Additive gene action governed the inheritance of resistance to H. armigera, while non-additive type of gene action was predominant for inheritance of antibiosis component of resistance (larval survival and larval weight) and grain yield. Greater magnitude of σ2 A(17.39 and 1.42) than σ2 D (3.93 and 1.21) indicated the preponderance of σ2 Ain inheritance of resistance to pod borer, H. armigera under laboratory and field conditions, respectively. There were no maternal effects for inheritance of resistance to pod borer and grain yield. Lines with significant gca effects for pod borer damage and grain yield were identified for further use in the resistance breeding program. The implications of the inheritance pattern of pod borer resistance and grain yield are discussed in the context of strategies to enhance pod borer resistance and grain yield in chickpea.