Evaluation of resistance of wild rices,Oryza spp., to the whitebacked planthopper,Sogatella furcifera (Horvath) (Homoptera: Delphacidae)

Evaluation of wild rice species for resistance against major insect pests of rice was carried out in both field and greenhouse conditions. A total of 219 wild rice lines were evaluated under field conditions against yellow stem borer, Scirpophaga incertulas (Walker) and leaf folder, Cnaphalocrocis medinalis (Guenee). Of the selected 185 lines tested by “standard seed box screening technique” against whitebacked planthopper, Sogatella furcifera (Horvath), 20 were found to be resistant, 54 moderately resistant, 88 moderately susceptible, and 23 susceptible. Out of the 185 wild rice lines tested against all the three major pests, 17 lines had multiple resistance. Out of these 17 lines, 14 lines were evaluated for mechanisms of resistance against S. furcifera; they showed antixenosis for feeding, as fewer nymphs settled on them compared to the susceptible O. sativa cultivar TN1. However, the eggs were observed to be randomly distributed on them. Antibiosis was exhibited as the nymphal period was prolonged, while there was a decrease in survival and growth index. Thus, besides possessing multiple resistance against all the three major pests during the present investigation, all these 14 wild rice lines belonging to different Oryza spp. exhibited good antixenotic and antibiotic effects.