Evaluation of biochemical host plant resistance traits against leafhopper in cotton using recombinant inbred population

Abstract

Sucking pest, Indian cotton jassid Amrasca biguttula biguttula has became serious threat to Bt cotton cultivation in India. It’s prevalent throughout the cropping season causes phenomenal yield losses and effects quality also. A total of 140 Recombinant Inbred Lines (RILs) were developed from cross of Coker-310 (jassid susceptible) × GISV-218 (jassid resistance) and field evaluated under augmented design to study genetic basis and to determine relationships among biochemical host plant resistance (HPR) traits towards jassid resistance and yield of cotton. Biochemical analysis across RILs revealed that population of jassid and jassid injury decreased with higher biochemical content (tannin, total phenol and gossypol) and lower reducing sugar. Further, significant positive association among biochemical traits (total phenol, gossypol and tannin) and with seed cotton yield per plant and negative association with jassid count and jassid injury supported with high estimates of PCV, GCV, heritability and genetic advance in this RIL populations clearly emphasises studied biochemical traits offers resistance to jassids in cotton. Further, potent transgressive segregation identified with desirable biochemical traits, low jassid count and jassid injury with significantly higher seed cotton yield compared to GISV218, superior parent, our RIL population clearly paves the way for improvement of jassid resistance and yield in cotton.