Differential Reaction of CIMMYT Maize Lines and their Hybrid Combinations to Pink Stem Borer, Sesamia inference Walker

Two trials were conducted involving twenty eight inbred lines, forty five and forty five single crosses, respectively received from CIMMY India programme along with resistant and susceptible checks in rabi 2005–2006 at Winter Nursery Experimental Farm, Hyderabad. The germplasm was artificially infested by introducing 10–12 neonate larvae into the whorl of the individual plants using larval dispenser. Four weeks after infestation plants were scored using a 9 point scale. Of the twenty eight lines screened, four lines were found to be moderately resistant. CML 421 recorded the lowest leaf injury rating of 4.40 and which was followed by CAO 3141 (4.60), CAO 3120 (4.60) and CAO 0106 (4.75). Among the forty five single crosses, two crosses CML 429 x CML 474 and CML 421 x CML 470 were found to be highly resistant. These two crosses recorded LIR less than the resistant check 1. Overall, the screening trials indicated the following inbred lines CML 421, CAO 3141, CAO 0106 and CAO 3120 and single crosses CML 429 x CML 474 and CML 421 x CML 470 could be effectively utilized in the Pink stem borer breeding programme.