SCREENING OF SUNFLOWER GENOTYPES FOR RESISTANCE TO HELICOVERPA ARMIGERA HUBNER (LEPIDOPTERA: NOCTUIDAE) IN PUNJAB, PAKISTAN

Twenty diverse genotypes of sunflower viz. A-60, G-5, A-179, A-79, A-9, OR-103, OR-101, OR-100B, OR-44B, OR-92B, OR-102B, H-38, S-278, H-33, A-11, G-53, G-32, A-75, G-55 and G-7 were planted with RCBD lay out. Based on average egg count and larval population per 5 plants, three genotypes showing resistance (A-11, A-75, G-53), three showing intermediate (G-7, OR-102B, A-9) and three having susceptible response (OR-100B, G-5, OR-44B) were selected. Based on larval population of Helicoverpa armigera, the genotype OR-102B showed maximum HPSI i.e., 22 percent during 2008, OR-100B showed 21 percent HPSI during 2009 and on average of both the study years the maximum HPSI was recorded to be 21 percent on OR-100B. Thus OR-100B proved to be a susceptible genotype. The minimum HPSI was observed to be 5 percent on G-53, during 2008.Lower values of HPSI were recorded on resistant genotypes. These genotypes may be used as source of resistance for developing sunflower genotypes resistant to H. armigera.