IDENTIFICATION AND UTILIZATION OF RESISTANCE TO SORGHUM MIDGE, CONTARINIA-SORGHICOLA (COQUILLET), IN INDIA

Sorghum midge, Contarinia sorghicola (Coquillet). is a most important and widespread pest of grain sorghum. Over 15 000 germplasm accessions and several thousand breeding lines have been screened for resistance to sorghum midge under field infestation and no-choice headcage condi tions in India. Twenty-seven germplasm accessions showing resistance a cross seasons and locations have been identified, of which TAM 2566, A F 28, DJ 6514, IS 3461, IS 8918, IS 10712, IS 21871 and IS 27103 are d iverse sources of resistance to sorghum midge. Substantial progress ha s been made in developing improved midge-resistant breeding lines with reasonable yield and grain quality. Forty-four lines improved for pla nt type and grain yield have been developed. ICSV 197, ICSV 745, ICSV 843, ICSV 88013 and ICSV 88032 have high levels of midge resistance an d their yield potential is comparable to that of commercial cultivars. PM 7068, ICSV 690, ICSV 563, and ICSV 388 have been identified as non -restorers. ICSV 563 and PM 7068 have been converted into male-sterile hybrid parents. Sorghum lines with midge resistance are genetically a nd morphologically diverse, and can be adapted per se or used in sorgh um improvement in different sorghum-growing regions.