Nutritional indices and biochemical profile of Helicoverpa armigera [Hübner (1808)] on different groundnut genotypes

Nutritional indices and biochemical profile of Helicoverpa armigera in response to feeding on different groundnut genotypes was studied. The moderately resistant genotypes were ICGV 86699, ICGV 86031, ICG 2271 and ICG 1697.  JL 24 was used as the susceptible check. Consumption index (CI), approximate digestibility (AD), efficiency of conversion of ingested food (ECI) and efficiency of conversion of digested food (ECD) were recorded. In addition, the activities of digestive and defensive enzymes of H . armigera were studied. H. armigera larvae showed significantly lower CI, AD, ECI and EDI when fed on moderately resistant genotypes than the insects fed on JL 24. Serine protease and trypsin activities were low in insects fed on resistant genotypes than the ones fed on JL 24. Further, insects fed on resistant genotypes showed significantly greater glutathione-S-transferase activity than the insects fed on JL 24. A reverse trend was observed for esterase activity. Similar trend was observed for total protein content of the insects. Thus, nutritional quality of host plants affects insect’s physiology and could be used as an important indicator of host plant resistance against insect pests and to understand the adaptation of insect pests, if any, to various genotypes/host plants.