Reaction of Sesame Germplasm Against Shoot Webber Antigastra catalaunalis Duponchel and Phyllody

Five sesame accessions viz.. IVTS-2001-20, IVTS-200I-23, IVTS-2001-24, IVTS-2001-25 and IVTS-2001-26. selected from a preliminary screening for resistance against shoot webber and capsule borer, Antigastra catalaunalis Duponchel and phyllody disease were field evaluated at Vridhachalam, Tamil Nadu for two seasons. The plant, branch, leaf, flower and capsule damage by A. catalaunalis; plant and phyllodoid flower damage by phyllody disease were recorded and the accessions were rated for resistance, in comparison with a susceptible check, IVTS-2001-19. The reaction of the accessions differed during different seasons, both towards A. catalaunalis and phyllody disease. None of the accessions tested was found resistant to both A. catalaunalis and phyllody simultaneously. But the accessions differed marginally with regard to their yield potential suggesting the role of environmental factors in influencing the expression of resistance.