Yield Performance of Some Sudanese Sorghum Lines Selected for Recovery Resistance to the Spotted Stem Borer (Chilo partellus

Abstract

This study was carried out at ICRISAT, under artificial stem borer infestation, with the following objectives: (1) to study the yield performance of some Sudanese sorghum lines selected for recovery resistance to C. partellus, by relating yield reduction to the extent of damage, and (2) to investigate the effect of season, i.e. post-rainy and rainy, on yield reduction due to attack by the stem borer. Eight sorghum lines were planted under rainy and post-rainy season conditions. The trials were laid as a split plot with three replications and three infestation levels (zero or no infestation, main stem infestation and main stem with tiller infestation). Under the post-rainy season conditions, when temperature was low, yield reduction was independent of dead-heart caused by the borer, whereas in the rainy season the effect of dead-heart formation on grain yield was pronounced. It is concluded that genotype, season and level of infestation have a role in modifying this relationship.