author(s)
Elanchezhyan K, Kavitha Pushpam A and Arumugam Pillai S

abstract
A total of eight promising rice cultures and six standard check varieties were screened against yellow stem borer Scirpophaga incertulas (Walker) (Crambidae: Lepidoptera) in rice under field condition at AC & RI, Killikulam during Pishanam season, 2015 - 16. None of the genotypes were free from a dead heart and whiter ear to be categorized as highly resistant. The stem borer infestation varied from 2.48 to 23.58% dead heart during the vegetative stage and 1.94 to 12.25% white ear during the reproductive stage in rice. The promising rice genotypes ACK 14003, ACK 14004, BRNS-WP-6 recorded the scale of 1 (resistant) at both dead heart at the vegetative stage and white ear at the reproductive stage for the stem borer damage in rice. All the resistant cultivars of the rice exhibited the highest phenol content compared to the susceptible one. The total phenols present in promising cultures were 2.72 mg to 4.08 mg equivalent of Pyrocatecho / g fresh weight of leaf sample. The highest phenol content was observed in resistant cultures viz., ACK 14004 (4.08 mg/ g fresh weight) followed by ACK 14003 (3.93 mg/g) and BRNS WP 6 (3.83 mg/g). Higher concentration of total phenols found in the resistance group could be one of the factors contributing towards tolerance with antibiotic effect against stem borer. Hence, they can be utilized in breeding programs as a source of resistance against yellow stem borer in rice.