Relationship between some of the nutritive constituents and different parameters to measure resistance in stored maize varieties to Sitophilus oryzae Linn.

Different parameters, viz., weight loss in per cent and gram, number and percentage of damaged kernels, total progeny count, and per cent viability of grains were earlier evaluated for measuring resistance in twenty four maize varieties to Sitophilus oryzae Linn. during 60-day storage period. Relationship between these parameters and the major nutritive constituents, viz., percentage of protein, tryptophan, oil, total sugar, reducing sugar, and non-reduclng sugar contents in healthy uninfested grains of different varieties was based on correlation coefficients. The per cent weight loss was negatively correlated with the per cent protein content and positively with the per cent oil and reducing sugar contents. But weight loss in gram was not correlated significantly with any of these nutritive constituents. Both the per cent and number of damaged grains were negatively correlated with per cent oil content and positively with per cent non reduclng sugar content. Perhaps, this negative correlation explains the lowest number of grains damaged in the variety Madhuri exhibiting the highest per cent oil content. The progeny count was not significantly correlated with any of the nutritive constituents. The per cent viability was positively correlated with per cent tryptophan content.