Screening of Tomato Advance Lines Cherry and Bayberry (NUYT) Against Tomato Fruit Borer, Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner) under field Conditions

Tomato advanced lines of cherry and bayberry were screened out against H. armigera under field conditions during spring 2020 in RCB design with three replications. None of the tested tomato line was free from H. armigera infestation. However, tomato lines bayberry 0012 and cherry 18004 were found to be most resistant with larval population of 0.62 and 0.52 and fruit infestation of 8.66 and 4.30 percent, respectively. While bayberry tomato lines 0010, 0011, 0015 and cherry 18007 were observed as most susceptible with larval population of 2.11, 1.91, 2.02 and 1.88 and percent fruit infestation 37.66, 33.00, 38.66 and 32.20, respectively. Biological parameters of H. armigera were significantly affected when offered the resulted resistant and susceptible tomato lines. Egg incubation, larval duration, pupal duration, % adult emergence and adult longevity were significantly low on susceptible tomato line while oviposition rate, % egg, % larval survival and pupal viability was comparatively high on susceptible tomato lines.