Antioxidants Potential in Seeds of Chickpea Genotypes Differing in Helicoverpa armigera Resistance

Seeds of fourteen chickpea genotypes (GL 25016, GL 26054, ICCL 86111, GL 28185, GL 29303, GL 28389, CE 1, CE 9, CE 35, GL 28390, PBG 5, GPF 2, GL 21107 and L 550) were evaluated for their stress tolerance capacity against Helicoverpa armigera. DPPH radical scavenging activity, glycine betaine, reducing power, total protein, trypsin inhibitor, H₂O₂ and proline was higher in seeds of resistant chickpea genotypes than the susceptible genotype (L550). MDA content was higher in susceptible genotype than the resistant genotypes. DPPH radical scavenging activity was negatively correlated with pod damage which shows higher free radical scavenging activity in resistant genotypes than susceptible genotype. Clustering of chickpea genotypes shows that resistant genotypes and moderately resistant genotypes form cluster with each other while susceptible genotypes do not form any cluster with any other genotype. SDS-PAGE results showed that content of higher molecular weight protein was higher in resistant genotypes than the susceptible genotype while low molecular weight protein was higher in susceptible genotypes than the resistant genotypes.