Screening for plant resistance to oriental armyworm, Mythimna separata (Lepidoptera : Noctuidae) in pearl millet, Pennisetum glaucum

Pearl millet, Pennisetum glaucum (R.Br.) L., is an important crop in the se miarid tropics of Asia and Africa. It is damaged by several insects of whic h the Oriental armyworm, Mythimna separata (Walker), is an important pest i n Asia, and also in Australia. Chemical control is not possible for resourc e-poor farmers in the semiarid tropics, thus host plant resistance assumes a central role in pest management. We evaluated a set of 40 pearl millet la ndraces under choice and no-choice conditions to identify Lines with resist ance to this insect. Genotypes IP 6577, PIE 228, IP 6069, IP 6251, and IP 5 836 were significantly less damaged than the susceptible check IP 3072. The se lines can be used to develop cultivars with less susceptibility to M. se parata. Most of the lines showing resistance to the Oriental armyworm origi nated from West Africa. Hybrids based on the male-sterile line 111A were le ss susceptible under field conditions than those based on 5141A and 5054A, suggesting that there are possibilities for reducing armyworm damage throug h development and use of cultivars with resistance to this pest.