Physico-chemical mechanisms of resistance to shoot fly, Atherigona soccata in sorghum, Sorghum bicolor

摘要

Sorghum shoot fly, Atherigona soccata is an important pest of sorghum,udand host plant resistance is one of the important components for minimizingudthe losses due to this pest. Therefore, we evaluated a diverseudarray of sorghum genotypes to identify physico-chemical characteristicsudconferring resistance to A. soccata. Susceptibility to shoot fly was associatedudwith high amounts of soluble sugars, fats, leaf surface wetness andudseedling vigour; while leaf glossiness, plumule and leaf sheath pigmentation,udtrichome density and high tannin, Mg and Zn showed resistance toudshoot fly. Stepwise regression indicated that Mg, Zn, soluble sugars, tannins,udfats, leaf glossiness, leaf sheath and plumule pigmentation and trichomeuddensity explained 99.8% of the variation in shoot fly damage.udPath coefficient analysis suggested that leaf glossiness, trichome density,udMg and fat content and plant plumule pigmentation can be used asudmarkers traits to select for shoot fly resistance in sorghum