Development and Analysis of Transgenic Chickpea for Resistant to Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner)

Abstract

The production of chickpea has been reduced considerably for the past 2 to 3 decades mostly due to biotic and abiotic stress factors. On the global basis, annual yield loss due to these factors was estimated to be 11.2 million t, wherein 4.8 million t is being contributed by biotic factors alone (Ryan, 1997, www.icrisat.org). Amongst the biotic factors, the notorious pod borer Hel~coverpu armigera causes a severe pod damage of up to 90% accounting for about 10-33 % per cent yield failure, resulting in annual losses of over US $325 million (ICRISAT, 1992; Yadav et al., 2006). Often, the extent of losses caused by this pest has led to the total failure of the crop (Jayaraj, 1990). This serious threat has been ascribed to frequent and fast changes occurring in cropping pattern of agroecosystem and the polyphagous and cosmopolitan feeding nature of H. armigera