To determine how vulnerable various pea genotypes are to leafminer infestation, a field experiment was conducted. On the basis of the presence of mines on five randomly selected leaflets from the upper, middle and lower parts of the plant, observations of larvae were made throughout the growing season. The total phenols were determined using the method described by Bray and Thorpe (1954, Analysis of phenolic compounds of interest in metabolism. Methods Biochem Anal. 52:1-27) and absorbance at 650 nm was measured using a spectrophotometer. There was a negative correlation between leafminer infestation and total phenol content. The UHF Pea-12 genotype, characterised by the lowest total phenol concentration (20.87 mg/100 g), exhibited the highest level of leaflet infestation (17.33%). Although UHF Pea-1 genotype had the lowest mean leaflet infestation (6.58%), it also had the highest phenol concentration (41.91 mg per 100 g). In context with this, the present study highlights the significance of host-plant resistance (HPR) in pest management.
Keywords: Mines; antibiosis; correlation; genotypes; negative; susceptible.