Techniques to Screen Sorghums for Resistance to Insect Pests

Abstract

Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] is one of the most important cereal crops in the semi-arid tropics. Grain yields on peasant farms are generally low, insect pests being one of the major factors limiting production. There are over 150 species which damage sorghum crops, of which sorghum shoot fly (Atherigona soccata), spotted stem borer (Chilopartellus), sorghum midge (Contarinia sorghicola), and head bugs (Calocoris angustatus and Eurtystylus immaculatus) are the major pests worldwide. This bulletin describes techniques to screen for resistance under choice (field) and no-choice(cage) conditions, methods of evaluating insect damage, and the sources of resistance to the major pests