Relative Levels of Tolerance to Pea Aphid (Acyrthosiphon pisum Harris) in Selected Lentil Genotypes in Ethiopia

Abstract

The experiment was conducted with five lentil genotypes of known reaction to pea aphid for resistance. The trail was carried out with two identical but separate experiments as infested and un-infested trial under DZARC lath house. Infested seedlings were compared with uninfested ones in terms of plant height, biomass, root weight, and leaf area to quantify tolerance. The field performance of those lentil genotypes used in the experiments was assessed at Chefe Donsa substation, which is found in the East Shewa administrative zone, Ethiopia. Alemaya(lentil varity) reduces pea aphid damage cumulatively by the reduced percent dry and fresh biomass, percent plant height reduction and increased dry biomass, plant re-growth after 12 days of infestation compared with other tested genotypes, thus Alemaya had high tolerance to A. pisum. Similarly, comparable tolerance was found on ILL-7664 which exhibited longer plant re-growth, increased dry biomass after 12 days of infestation compared with other tested genotypes, except Alemaya. Chalow also showed reduced percent plant height and dry biomass reduction and increased leaf number after 12 days of infestation. Using genotypes that had tolerance for pea aphid management is wise decision as it reduces selection pressure on A. pisum.  Alemaya (genotype which had tolerant resistance) is more important for integrated pest management program (IPM) than all the remaining tested genotypes.