Differences in susceptibility of chickpea (Cicer arietinum Linn.) genotypes to Helicoverpa armigera (Hub.) under no-choice caged conditions and towards washed and un-washed chickpea leaves

The chickpea genotypes were grown in the glasshouse to test the feeding preference by the H. armigera larvae. Under no choice caged glasshouse conditions the resistant genotypes recorded reduced damage rating; low larval survival and larval growth indicated that antibiosis is one of the components of resistance. The chickpea genotypes were grown in the glasshouse are used to test the feeding preference by the H. armigera larvae on washed and unwashed leaves. Greater feeding in washed leaves compared to unwashed leaves in ICC 12475, ICC 12478, ICC 12479, ICC 14876, ICC 12495 and ICC 12494 suggested that water-soluble compounds in the leaf exudates (malic and oxalic acid) of chickpea were primarily responsible for the resistance of the genotypes to H. armigera