| Summary: | Pigeon pea’s productivity has been stagnant over the years because of the devastating pest Helicoverpa armigera which causes major yield losses. The present study explored different responses of various defense strategies in leaves and pods of four pigeon pea cultivars (ICP-12142, ICP-11543, LRG-41 and CO-8) after infestation. Two pigeon pea cultivars viz; ICP-11543 and CO-8 were ascertained to be susceptible to infestation with excessive leaf and pod damage compared to the other two cultivars. Decreased activities of defensive enzymes/compounds like peroxidase (POD), superoxide dismutase (SOD), polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and total phenols were reported following infestation in cultivars of ICP-11543 and CO-8 which resulted in intensification of infestation. The cultivars; LRG-41 and ICP-12142 were found to be moderately resistant to pest infestation because of the up-regulation of PPO, POD and SOD along with accumulation of total phenols which might be held accountable for shifting the oxidative status of the respective cultivars.
|
|---|
