UTTAR PRADESH JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY

Host plant resistance is an important component of sustainable pest management in faba bean, particularly against leaf miner, Liriomyza trifolii (Burgess) and pod borer, Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner). This study evaluated forty-four faba bean genotypes under field conditions to identify resistant sources and examine their association with selected morphological and biochemical traits. The experiment was conducted at the AB Block Farm and Research Station of Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Kalyani, Nadia, West Bengal, India during the rabi seasons of 2019-20 and 2020-21. The genotypes were grown in a Randomised Complete Block Design with two replications under pesticide-free conditions. Observations on pest infestation, leaf mining, pod damage, plant height, days to pod maturity, pod length, pod width, seed yield, total phenol content and seed protein content were recorded. Considerable variation was observed among genotypes in response to both pests. Six genotypes, namely FLIP15-196FB, FLIP15-197FB, L-2013-014, L-2013-060 (S4), L-2013-092 (S4) and L-2014-137 were identified as highly resistant to leaf miner. Nine genotypes, namely Ahmednagar Local, Bangla Gangachar, EC-25085, FLIP15-196FB, FLIP15-197FB, Gazipur Local, HB-15, HB-90 and L-2013-060 were classified as very highly resistant to pod borer. FLIP15-196FB and FLIP15-197FB showed resistance to both pests. Pod damage showed positive associations with plant height, days to pod maturity, pod length and seed protein content and negative associations with phenol content and seed yield. These resistant genotypes may serve as useful genetic resources for validation and breeding programmes aimed at enhancing resistance to major insect pests of faba bean.