Biochemical basis of resistance against Maruca vitrata in selected genotypes/varieties of cowpea

Abstract

Field experiment was conducted to find out biochemical based resistance in different genotypes of cowpea during Kharif 2010. Among the different genotypes, GC-706 had lowest amount of total amino acid (6.2 mg/g), total soluble sugar (4.5 %), nitrogen (2.9 %), protein (25.4 %), moisture (85.9 %) and fibre (1.8 %) content. These biochemicals exhibited significant positive correlation with per cent pod damage by Maruca vitrata. Maximum anti-nutritional constituent’s viz., total phenol (0.8 %), tannin (11.8 %) and flavonoid (1.0 %) were found in GC-706 as compared to the rest of genotypes. These antinutritional constituents exhibited significant negative correlation with pod damage. GC-706 had lowest 8.9 per cent pod damage observed. Thus it can be said that the higher amount of total phenol, tannin and flavonoid in cowpea pods had lowest spotted pod borer damage.