Phenotypic Screening of Rice Cultures for Resistance against Brown Plant Hopper (Nilaparvata lugens Stal) at Warangal, India

Brown planthopper (BPH), Nilaparvatalugens Stal (Homoptera: Delphacidae), is one of the most destructive insect pests causing significant yield losses in rice production. During Kharif, 2021, a set of 91 rice cultures were screened against brown plant hopper (BPH) through standard seed box technique in screen house at Regional Agricultural Research Station, Warangal. Resistant checks RP 2068-18-3-5 recorded Damage Score (DS) of <3, Mo-1 recorded DS of 3.67, PTB 33 recorded DS of 3.29. Mean damage score was 8.94 in the susceptible check Taichung Native 1(TN-1) against BPH. The 2 entries viz., RPGP-1066-36-12-1-2 and WS-18-OYT-72/BPH were found to be highly resistant to BPH. RPGP-1386-3-1-1-1 was found to be resistant to BPH. 5 entries viz., BPT 3025, RPGP-1011-100-56-1-4-1, RPGP-2212-8-1-2-2, KNM 12505 and WS-18-AYT-10/BPH were found to be moderately resistant to BPH. Cultivation of resistant cultures will reduce the cost of plant protection against BPH in addition to protection of natural enemies and environment. The rice cultures exhibiting resistance against BPH may be helpful in crossing programmes to develop BPH resistant varieties which shall be used in IPM as a component.