Assessment of advanced Malaysian rice varieties for resistance to brown planthopper (Nilaparvata lugens Stal.)

The resistance of several published resistant varieties and some advanced Malaysian rice varieties were evaluated against the brown planthopper (BPH), Nilaparvata lugens. The resistance of three varieties, namely Rathu Heenati, Babawee and Mudgo, controlled by major genes consistently showed strong resistance through the antibiosis, antixenosis, population growth and standard seed box screening (SSST) tests. Preliminary evaluation of MR varieties by SSST test indicated their variable levels of resistance to BPH. Results also showed that reactions of rice varieties MR 253 and MR 263 to multiple colonies of BPH tested ranged from moderately resistant to susceptible, albeit better than the universal susceptible check variety Taichung Native 1 (TN1). Their low level of resistance to BPH was assumed to be contributed by the unidentified and unexplained minor genes effect. Another released variety MRQ 76 was also found to be more susceptible to BPH than the currently popular rice variety MR 219.