The influence of host-plant resistance in chickpea on parasitism of Heliothis armigera Hb larvae

The influence of resistance in chickpea [Cicer arietinum] to attack by Heliothis armigera (Hb.) on the level of parasitism of the pest was studied in Andhra Pradesh, India. The most abundant parasites reared from H. armigera larvae were the hymenopteran Campoletis chlorideae Uch. and the dipteran Carcelia illota (Curr.). Levels of parasitism were too low to have any regulatory effect on the pest, but there was a greater incidence of parasitism on susceptible than on resistant cultivars, as in earlier observations; this could be important in situations where the level of larval parasitism is high or can be artificially augmented. It is not known whether the observed influence is due to a direct effect of the cultivar on the preference of the parasite or to an indirect effect of resistance on the population density and quality of H. armigera larva