Published on February 2021 | Agriculture, Entomology

Resistant Cultivars of Safflower Carthamus tinctorius based on Yield Performance and Infestation against Acanthiophilus helianthi (Diptera: Tephritidae)

Safflower (Cartamous tinctorious L.) is one of the most traditional oilseed crops and extensively cultivated in Asian countries. Thriving production of safflower is affected by several factors; one of them is insect pests. Safflower fly, Acanthiophilus helianthi (Rossi) is a key pest of safflower which causes substantial yield losses in every season. Using the resistant genotypes is one of the most conventional methods which reduce insect pest population, and it has been used as part of integrated pest management in safflower crop. Since host plant-resistance is the most efficient method for pest management thus, the aim of current study was subjected to evaluate the resistant genotypes against A. helianthi. As results, safflower varieties displayed significant variations from comparative susceptibility to comparative resistance. On the basis of results, seasonal larval and pupal population, infestation, and damage (%) caused by A. helianthi, Pl280-716 and Pl-242-418 were found relatively susceptible; Thori-78 showed intermediate resistant, however, Pl-405-992 and Pl-369-848 were comparatively resistant at (P