~ 458 ~ ISSN Print: 2617-4693 ISSN Online: 2617-4707 IJABR 2024; SP-8(6): 458-462 www.biochemjournal.com Received: 05-04-2024 Accepted: 09-05-2024 Sheeren Parveen Ph.D., Department of Entomology, Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, India Anand Kumar Panday Scientist, Department of Entomology, AICRP, PC Unit, Sesame and Niger, Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, India SB Das Professor and Head, Department of Entomology, Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, India AK Sharma Professor, Department of Entomology, Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, India Dwarka Ph.D., Department of Entomology, Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, India Ritu Pandey Ph.D., Department of Entomology, Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, India Corresponding Author: Sheeren Parveen Ph.D., Department of Entomology, Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, India Study the response of different genotypes of sesame against larval population of leaf webber and capsule borer [Antigastra catalaunalis, Dup.] Sheeren Parveen, Anand Kumar Panday, SB Das, AK Sharma, Dwarka and Ritu Pandey DOI: https://doi.org/10.33545/26174693.2024.v8.i6Sf.1341 Abstract A study was conducted at experimental farm of PC Unit, Sesame and Niger, College of Agriculture, JNKVV, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, during Kharif 2021. Seventy five diverse genotypes of sesame were screened against leaf webber and capsule borer (Antigastra catalaunalis Dup.). The larval population of leaf webber and capsule borer was recorded at weekly intervals started from one week after germination to till maturity of the crop. The highest mean number of larvae per plant was recorded in genotype Prachi (3.10 larvae/plant/week) followed by JTS-8 (2.67 larvae/plant/week) and IC-204200 (2.47 larvae/plant/week). The average number of larvae (0.60 larvae/plant/week) was recorded lowest in SI-250 followed by IS-1672 (1.03 larvae/plant/week) and TKG-306 (1.23 larvae/plant/week). The observation recorded at an interval of seven days varied significantly from each other in respect of average number of larvae per plant. The highest larval population was recorded in between 49 th (3.50 larvae/plant) and 56 th (3.07 larvae/plant) day after sowing which was coincide with the flowering and capsule formation stage of the crop. Keywords: Screening of sesame genotypes, leaf webber and capsule bore, larval population, resistance/susceptible genotypes, Antigastra catalaunalis Introduction Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.), known as the "queen of oil seeds," is one of the oldest oilseed crop known globally and is cultivated extensively throughout the India. It belongs to the family Pedaliaceae. Both East Africa and India are considered its native regions (Nayar and Mehra, 1970; Bedigian, 1985) [5, 1] . The crop popularity has increased due to its high- quality edible oil and its rich content of carbohydrates, protein, calcium, and phosphorus (Seegeler, 1983) [7] . However, sesame faces significant challenges from various insect pests, more than 67 species of insect pests reported to damage the crop from germination to maturity. Among these, leaf webber and capsule borer, Antigastra catalaunalis (Dup.) is the most critical pest, which attacks on sesame at all growth stages starting about two weeks post-emergence (Suliman et al., 2004) [9] . This pest affects almost all parts of the plant (Shoot, leaf, flower, and capsule) and under severe early-stage attacks, it can cause complete crop failure (Karuppaiah, 2014) [3] . The damage is notably more severe during dry seasons and after flowering has begun. To manage A. catalaunalis effectively, cultivar resistance is seen as the most desirable and economical tactic. This approach is an excellent alternative to synthetic insecticides, offering an eco-friendly and environmentally safe strategy. Therefore, identifying resistant sesame genotypes to A. catalaunalis is essential for sustainable pest management. Materials and Methods The experiment was conducted at the Experimental farm ICAR-Project Coordinating Unit Sesame and Niger, College of Agriculture, Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya, Jabalpur (Madhya Pradesh) during the Kharif season of 2021 aimed to evaluate 75 different genotypes of sesame against leaf webber and capsule borer. Jabalpur, situated in the agro- climatic zone of Kymore Plateau and Satpura Hills, has specific geographical coordinates and altitude that influence its agricultural characteristics. International Journal of Advanced Biochemistry Research 2024; SP-8(6): 458-462