Alhassan T. Maji

Screening of Inter Specific Rice Progeny for Rice Gall Midge Resistant Alhassan T. Maji

African rice gall midge (AfRGM), (Orseolia oryzivora Haris and Gagne) is a major constraints associated with lowland rice production. Varietal resistance is an important component in the management of the pest. The aim of this study is to evaluate level of AfRGM resistance in inter-specific rice progenies lines. Field experiments were conducted in 2009 cropping season at Badeggi and Edozhigi to screen 917 inter-specific rice progeny lines for AfRGM resistance. The field was laid out in an Augmented Block Design, comprising of three blocks with 305 progenies in each block, checks were randomized three times in each block. The result was analyzed using the Resistance Index Analysis. Sixteen progenies selected with the three checks (FARO 37, FARO 52 and Tog 7442) were subjected to yield trial in 2010 cropping season at Badeggi. The experimental design was a randomized complete block design (RCBD). Field screening of the progenies revealed that there was significant difference in their resistance to AfRGM, 4 progenies were found to be resistant across the two locations. However, 7 out of the 146 progenies that had good phenotypic acceptability were resistant at Badegg.