Feasibility of integrating microbial inoculants and host plant resistance for managing shootfly, Atherigona soccata Rond., in sorghum

The compatibility of nitrogen fixing bacteria, viz, Azospirillum brasilense and Pseudomonas siraiata with resistant varieties, viz., P 311 and SPV 1015 in sorghum was evaluated against the shoot fly, Atherigona soccata Rondani. In the case of sorghum cultivar P 311 inoculated with Azospirillum and Pseudomonas, the percentage dead-hearts was 9.8 and 11.2, respectively. Similarly, dead-hearts formed in SPV 1015 due to A. soccata were respectively 8.7 and 10.5 per cent with these two microbial inoculants as against 82.0 per cent in CSH-1 (check). Such combination resulted in significant reduction of dead-hearts in both the cultivars. Consequently, the increased average grain yield, i.e., 61.7 and 69.4 per cent in P 311 and SPV 1015 sorghum cultivars, respectively, manifested with both the inoculants. The strategy thus evolved would provide economical, easily acceptable and ecology based management of this key borer pest of sorghum.