Tenth Commonwealth Entomological Conference

Abstract

Seeds of 22 rice strains carefully selected for resistance by continuously testing under high gall midge pressure at Cuttack (Orissa) through 1979–198’ and three such strains from Raipur (Madhya Pradesh) were assembled along with susceptible standard Jaya and were simultaneously tested at both locations (Cuttack and Raipur) against the Asian rice gall midge Orseolia oryzae Wood‐Mason in wet season 1985. Eighteen entries proved resistant at both locations. While Asha, Usha and Samrudhi were resistant at Raipur and susceptible at Cuttack, Shakti IR.36, IR.50, Daya and Pratap were resistant at Cuttack and susceptible at Raipur, based on which characterization of the Cuttack (Orissa) and Raipur (Madhya Pradesh) gall midge biotypes was proposed. In gall midge biotypes testing, meticulous selection of only such entries with consistently proven resistance to gall midge at least at one location, carrying forward seed from resistant plants only each season under high gall midge pressure (with 100% seedling/hill infestation in oft repeated susceptible check) and classification of test entries at the strain's level either as resistant or as susceptible without scope for the third ‘moderate’ category to intervene, generally ignored by earlier workers, were stressed.