FIELD AND LABORATORY TRIALS TO EVALUATE CERTAIN SINGLE AND TRIPLE CROSSES OF MAIZE HYBRIDS FOR THEIR RELATIVE SUSCEPTIBILITY TO SPIDER MITE Tetranychus urticae KOCH INFESTATION IN RELATION TO LEAVES PHYTOCHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS (ACARI: ACTENIDIDA: TETRANYCHIDAE)

Field and laboratory trials were carried out to evaluate six maize hybrids of each single and three-way crosses for their relative susceptibility to spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch infestation, in relation to leaves phytochemical analysis. Obtained data cleared that the triple hybrids were more infestation than single crosses hybrids during the course of study. The level infestation of single crosses hybrids could be divided into two categories; resistance and moderate infestation, while the triple crosses hybrids could be divided into three categories, moderate, susceptible and highly susceptible to spider mite infestation. Phytochemical components, the total carbohydrates, total protein, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium were estimated and demonstrated that there were correlation between spider mite level infestation and leaves phytochemical constituents.