Published online by Cambridge University Press: 19 September 2011
Field observations on Chilo infestation of 100 promising sorghum lines showed that there are six levels of relationship affecting plant colonization and damage level by stem-borers: non-preference for oviposition (E 302, E 303, IS 1044, IS 1151, IS 2162, IS 4660, IS 17739, IS 18328, IS 18349, IS 18479, and IS 18489); feeding of the first larval instars on young leaves (reduced on E 302, E 303, IS 1044, IS 2162, IS 2209, IS 18349 and IS 18427); causing of ‘dead hearts’ by young larval instars due to extensive feeding in stems of young plants (lower for IS 2162, IS 2263, IS 18328, IS 18349); tunnelling (extent and location) of older instars in stems (low in IS 4660, IS 18427 and IS 18479); tolerance of plants to leaf damage (in spite of high damage, plants form panicles) (IS 2205); and tolerance of plants to larval feeding in stems (in spite of high tunnelling, the plants form seeds). The effect of a number of cultivars showing different levels and mechanisms of resistance on the Chilo behaviour and biology was studied in depth under field conditions.