Evaluation of Helicoverpa and drought resistance in desi and kabuli chickpea

A chickpea collection of 1600 desi and 1400 kabuli were evaluated for yield losses arisingfrom pod borer (Helicoverpa armigera) infestation under rainfed conditions by sprayinghalf the plots to prevent pod borer infestation and allowing the other half to be infested.From these lines, 82 were selected for further detailed evaluation of Helicoverpa resistanceand drought resistance under irrigated and rainfed conditions. The yield losses fromHelicoverpa damage varied from 10 to 33% depending on the chickpea type and the growingenvironment. Spreading types were more susceptible to Helicoverpa damage than erect types,as were kabuli types compared to desi types. Yield losses due to Helicoverpa infestation werealways greater in the irrigated than in the rainfed materials. Terminal drought reduced yieldsby 13–37% depending on plant type. The yields in the kabuli chickpea lines were moreseverely reduced than were the desi types, due to a greater reduction in the number ofbranches and pods per plant in the kabuli compared to the desi lines. It appears that theextent of pod borer damage varies between the chickpea types, and that desi types havegreater drought resistance than kabuli ones. These characteristics should be informative forthe population improvement of chickpea for environments in which terminal drought andHelicoverpa damage occur frequently.