Chickpeas (Cicer arietinum L.) belong to the Fabaceae family and are one of the most grown crops in the world and an important source of protein for humans. Spodoptera frugiperda (JE Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is a polyphagous pest that causes significant crop damage. The objective of this study was to examine antibiosis to S. frugiperda in chickpea genotypes. The following genotypes were studied: Jamu 96 and Blanco Sinaloa 92 (Mexico); Nacional 29 (Cuba); BG 1392 (Spain), and BRS Kalifa, BRS Cristalino, BRS Toro, Nacional 27, 004UP, 003UP, BRS Cícero, and BRS Aleppo (Brazil). The chickpea genotypes influenced the biological parameters of S. frugiperda, of which larval period, larval weight, and pupal period were most affected. Nacional 29 caused high mortality in the larval and pupal stages of S. frugiperda. The larvae on BRS Aleppo had the longest larval stage, lowest weight, and longest pupal stage. The genotypes Nacional 29, Nacional 27, and BRS Cícero showed antibiosis resistance to S. frugiperda. These genotypes could be used as a source of resistance to S. frugiperda in conjunction with other methods of pest control in integrated pest management programs for chickpea crops. These resistant genotypes could also be used as donor sources in breeding programs for insect resistance.

Papers on tolerance of alfalfa, barley, sorghum, corn, rice, wheat, cotton, vegetables and tea to insects are reviewed. Research methods used in identifying tolerant cultivars and the role of tolerance, as one of the three mechanisms of resistance, are discussed.

The soybean plant introduction (PI)227687 is highly resistant to 16 different insect pests of soybean in Australia, Brazil, Taiwan and the United States. In most of the pest Lepidoptera, resistance is expressed as greatly increased mortality in the later larval instars. The soybean looper, Pseudoplusia includens (Walker) is most severely affected in the final larval instar. Antibiotic effects include reduced weight gain, growth rate and increased mortality. These effects are enhanced by mechanically wounding foliage 24 hr prior to larval consumption. Antibiosis appears to be due to the combined effects of a feeding deterrent and a growth inhibitor. Resistance is location-specific on (PI)227687 plants and occurs abruptly on the third fully-expanded leaf from the plant apex. Larval growth on leaves of the susceptible variety ‘Davis’ is similar to or greater than that of the upper, susceptible leaves of (PI)227687. Resistance appears to be chemically based, since larvae fed artificial diets containing leaf extracts exhibit antibiotic symptoms similar to those fed fresh (PI)227687 leaves.