Antibiosis mechnism of resistance in some selected tomato genotypes to tomato fruit borer (Helicoverpa armigera)

Abstract

Tomato, (Lycopersicon esculentum) Mill is one of the most popular and widely grown vegetables all over the world. In India it is cultivated on 0.54 million hectares of area with a total production of about 7.70 million tones. One of the major threats to this crop is the damage by tomato fruit borer (Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner)) during fruiting period. Use of various insecticides to control this insect has become fruitless as misuse and overuse of many insecticides has developed resistance in this insect (Krishna Kumar and Krishnamoorthy, 2001). Therefore, host plant resistance is the only avenue left with the farmers and plant protectionists to combat with this insect successfully. Keeping this in view, 35 tomato genotypes were field evaluated during Rabi, 2004 against tomato fruit borer and based on per cent fruit infestation both on number and weight basis.